Fabulous
by increak96
Summary: Sequel to Rainbows. Ghirahim escapes Link's blade and runs from Skyloft, Shai faithfully tailing him. Link goes after his old enemy, but does Ghirahim even want to fight? Will Shai allow him to if he does? Rated for future violence, post-game, NOT YAOI
1. So It Begins

**A\N: STOP. BEFORE YOU READ THIS FANFIC, THERE IS A FANFIC THAT COMES BEFORE THIS TITLED 'RAINBOWS'. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ 'RAINBOWS' SOME OF THE FOLLOWING CONTENT WILL NOT MAKE SENSE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

**I know it's short, but I wanted to set the stage before the story started. So you could call this a Prologue or a Really Short First Chapter but whatever you call it, it's here.**

**I don't own this, and I hope you all enjoy this one as much as you did the last! **

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><p>He sat crossed legged with his hands resting on his knees, eyes closed and breathing steady. Footsteps came from the outside world, tired and rugged. They were accompanied by several sighs and moans from the mouth of a skychild. There was a soft jingle, like a belt strap sliding through the buckle, and then there was the solid thud of a young man hitting the mattress.<p>

Pale white lips tugged up into a smirk, and soulless, brown eyes wandered to the far end of the seemingly eternal white void. The sight was blinding, and had it not been for his personal little patch of night, the light surely would've snuffed his life years ago. One and a half years, to be exact. Alright, alright, fine. Six hundred and nine days, twelve hours, forty-one minutes, seven seconds, and twenty-nine tenths of a second, to be exact.

_You were right, Shai. I can feel the seal weakening already. By morning, this blade will be a memory of the past—one I should soon hope to forget—and I will be on the Surface where I belong. Miles and miles away from this filthy spawn of humankind. After that—_

He stopped short as he sense the sword's native spirit approaching, and he glanced over his shoulder innocently, giving her a pitiful look. She didn't waver at his watering eyes nor at his pouting lips, and after a few moments he turned back to the doorway with a sigh, tracing his fingers in the blackness and resting his chin on his palm.

"I suppose you quite enjoy seeing me like this…"

Fi stared at him blankly and responded in perfect monotone, "I do not have emotions like humans do; therefore, I cannot relish an enemy's pain. I have no sense of victory about this situation, Ghirahim."

Ghirahim frowned, still playing with the black substance around him, fading off into boredom at her dull words. "Since when did you stop calling me 'Demon Lord Ghirahim'? It was quite nice…"

"So long as you are in this sword, you are not a lord or a demon, thus your previous title is rendered obsolete in my database."

Ghirahim let his head sink a little, peering deep into the black until he saw what he wanted. "That could have been said in a more tactful and ethical way."

"I am not programmed to mince words for others' benefit."

Ghirahim sighed heavily, reaching out past the barrier of darkness only to jerk it back and hiss in pain. "Can you at least expand this thing? I can't even lie down and sleep!"

Fi watched him with a trace of suspicion in her eyes, but expanded the circle enough to let him rest his head, though in a very curled up and uncomfortable position.

"Could you make this a little more difficult?"

Fi gave him an odd look, but proceeded to shrink the ring again. Ghirahim gasped, his upper torso being caught in the light momentarily.

"It was sarcasm, Fi! Learn to read it!" He winced, grabbing his arms and rubbing them furiously to ease the burning throb in them.

Fi just widened the circle again and floated off, beginning to toy with magic and occupy herself in her own Fi-like way.

_I must get you back over here, my sweet… but how?_

He glanced at the hole, which was still wide open and calling to him, commanding him to free himself from his prison. He looked back to her. Her back was to him, but without his magic and without any weapons, he was powerless against her. Not to mention confined to that blasted circle on the floor!

"Fi… I have a question for you, and I hope you can answer it."

Fi remained silent, but turned slightly towards him as though he was listening.

Ghirahim tapped his chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "If you have achieved your mission—to aid Link in the destruction of Demise—then why are you still here?"

Fi didn't reply, and Ghirahim growled, clenching his fist at his side and rising to his feet. "She devil! That was a question! Answer me!"

"My analysis shows you are still 95% temperamental."

Ghirahim glared at her, but sank back to the floor and laid down, propping his hands under his head. "Seriously, though. What's the answer? It's not like _I'm _going to try and resurrect him. I failed at that once already, and if I bring him back now…" Ghirahim visibly shuddered, despite himself, and shook his head. "Never mind that!"

Fi turned to face Ghirahim fully and squared her shoulders. "My mission is not accomplished until the threat of Demise is vanished from this world. As it stands, this is not the case, and I will remain by my Master's side until my objective is complete."

Ghirahim was a little taken aback at her sudden composure, but he merely turned away from her and stared at the hole again. After that, there was a long silence, and then he heard her approach. A sly grin parted his lips, and he waited for her to stop behind him.

"Ghirahim, my analysis fails to show me exactly what your problem is. Could you specify?"

Ghirahim glanced over his shoulder briefly, but did not move far enough for her to see his smile. Then he slowly got to his feet and stretched, tapping his chin with his finger and placing his free hand on his hip.

"What is my problem, you wish to know?"

Ghirahim whirled, throwing his hands into the light despite the excruciating agony and dragging her into the darkness with him. As soon as her head hit the barrier, her eyes flickered, and she collapsed to the ground, though she bore no injury.

"Well _that_ was disappointing. She didn't even scream to me."

Ghirahim turned towards the hole and started walking towards it, blackness forming around his body as he went. Without a light oriented spirit around to restrain him, he could go wherever he wanted, and he wanted out.

He stood at the edge of the pit and turned to look at Fi, who was still slumped on the ground in the darkness. He took a moment to scan the area in every direction, thinking about how this had been his view for the past six hundred and nine days. And now finally, _finally _he was going to taste freedom. He was going to see color, he was going to eat food, and smell scent, and hear new voices, and say new things, and—Well… He probably wouldn't be doing that last one. Seeing Shai.

Certainly, the boy had told him on what day Link's blade would be the weakest and how to get out, but that was nearly five hundred and eighty-nine days ago. The child probably did it to stay on Ghirahim's good side. Humans often played the security card—getting the 'fire insurance' and what not—but Ghirahim doubted Shai was going to follow him again.

It was a shame, too… Shai was always a particularly kind boy, always having a smile on his face and a spring in his step, except for when Ghirahim asked him to tone it down. He was obedient and wise beyond his years, often giving Ghirahim advise when the demon least expected it. He had been… well, dear to Ghirahim. But now he was just another human, and Ghirahim was on his own.

"Alright, enough thinking. Just do it before you run out of time."

Ghirahim held his breath and took one step forward, plummeting into the darkness of the passage leading to the hilt of the blade. Almost instantaneously, he was outside of the hilt and sprawled on something hard and cool. He opened his eyes slowly, and realized he was lying on the skychild's bedroom floor.

Silently, he got to his feet and walked over to Link, staring down at the young hero—now almost eighteen years old—with a mix of emotions in his eyes. He glanced down at the Master's Sword and considered for a brief moment taking the boy's life, but the more he thought about that idea, the more he disliked it. All he really wanted to do was to get out Skyloft alive. Nothing else.

He moved towards the window and saw a platform in the distance. From there, he could jump down underneath Skyloft and walk over to the Axialis light, go back to his castle, reclaim his throne, and begin ruling there. After that… well, he would leave that up to his active imagination.

He snapped his fingers and—wait. Nothing happened.

Puzzled, he tried again to teleport to the outdoors. He snapped several more times, and then just tried to focus without snapping, but still, nothing happened.

_It must be leftover from the blade. I've been inside it so long my powers are dormant. They aren't gone because I can still feel them in there, I just need to get them out._

Taking a deep breath, he turned towards the door and began tiptoeing across the creaky wood floors.

_I suppose I shall be doing this the human way._

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><p>Shai gasped, jerking awake and looking around himself to see where he was. He sighed when he realized he was in his dorm, and wiped his brow, easing back into the sheets.<p>

For some reason, even though he had been coming to the academy for almost a year, he still woke up in the middle of the night thinking he was home. And not the home everyone thought he meant. He still dreamed about his old life with Ghirahim, and even though he hadn't spoken to his Master in a long time, he was still confident that this was the night he was going to escape, and when he did, Shai would know. He would feel it, just as he had always been able to feel it when Ghirahim returned from Skyloft.

"Tonight's the big night… He's going to get out… and we'll get to be together again."

Shai smiled to himself. Of course, he had no intentions of letting Ghirahim off the hook easy. In fact, he wasn't even going to go find his master and offer his services. He was going to let Ghirahim find him and ask for his services. He wouldn't make him beg or anything like that, but Shai didn't want to chase after his Master for the rest of his life without receiving a little appreciation.

"Unless Master really needs me. Then I'll just have to help him because… well, because he's Master."

Even at fourteen years of age—almost fifteen, actually—he still was very much dependent on leadership, and he liked it that way. The other boys said he was a baby, but they could never understand. Spending the majority of your life as a slave, doing nothing unless told to, and meeting punishment when you disobeyed made you crave a guiding hand.

_Master, it's been so hard without you here. I miss the days of just you and me. I don't like being picked on, I don't like being alone, I don't like all these people telling me to step out on my own. None of them give me a shoulder to cry on, and none of them would ever hold out their hand when I don't think I can stand by myself anymore. I want you back…_

Shai knew he was pathetic, lying on his bunk and mumbling about 'Master this' and 'Master that' but he didn't care. He loved Ghirahim, and if he was pathetic for that, so be it.

Shai lay down in the bed sheets and closed his eyes, sighing heavily as slumber started to set in. He was almost unconscious when he cracked one eyelid open and sniffed the air, a familiar scent filling his nose. He licked his lips.

"Welcome back, Master."

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><p><strong>A\N: BEFORE THE QUESTIONS START ROLLING IN:<strong>

**Yes, there's a reason they're in the sky and not on the Surface as planned. Explained in next chapter.**

**No, Shai has not turned sadistic like Ghirahim and he's not going to make him beg for forgiveness. That's not his style. He would just like to be appreciated and actually WANTED for a change.**

**Yes, I realize Shai is immature for 15, but after how cute he's been in the past two stories, I can't change him now! I'm going to blame in on Ghirahim's overlord attitude and the human to demon to human transformation that has messed up his hormones. **

**No, Ghirahim is not currently with Shai. Shai can sense that Ghirahim is on the island, but he doesn't know where and they are not together.  
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**I think that's it. I hope you all liked it, and as I go there will be more action, angst, blood, violence, aww moments, cuteness, fluffyness, and seriousness. At least... that's the plan. :)**

**I HOPE YOU ALL LIKED IT! PLEASE REVIEW!**


	2. Baby Steps

**A\N: OMG! I am SO sorry for the wait on this! I just couldn't write, and even know I feel like it's too short and I'm not happy with it! But I wanted to give you SOMETHING to read so hopefully you'll review and I can get ideas and form better chapters faster! Thanks for waiting this long, and I hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Link's eyes snapped open, the True Master's Sword chiming loudly in his ear. He groped around blindly for it, wiping the sleep from his face as his fingers finally grasped the hilt. He pulled it onto the bed, watching it expectantly. Fi flipped out of the hilt, landing beside his bed.<p>

"Master, I have distressing news."

"What is it?" he mumbled, falling back into the sheets.

"Ghirahim overpowered me during your slumber and vacated this blade."

Link shot straight back up, grabbing the sword with both hands. "What?"

"I said—"

"I know what you said! Where did he go?" Not waiting for an answer, Link scrambled to his dresser, grabbing just enough clothes to cover his indecency before fastening the sword on his hip and running out the door.

Fi followed right behind him, her monotone doing nothing to show the urgency of the situation. "That information is currently unavailable, Master, however—"

Link threw Zelda's door opened and searched her room in a panic, turning it upside down for any clues as to where she was. Finally, he stopped a letter hanging on her door, and he tore it off, speed reading it.

_Link,_

_Went to the caves to explore with Karane. Will be back by lunch._

_Zelda_

Link looked at the clock. It wasn't quite lunch yet, so maybe she was still there among the rocks. He took off running, heart pounding and mind racing. He held onto his hat, nearly losing it as he rounded a corner and began to jump over the rocks that lead to the large cavern.

"Master Link."

He partly ignored the noise and partly didn't hear it, too focused on finding Zelda or Ghirahim or both to honestly care what input Fi had.

"Master Link."

His feet pounded into the grass as he sped up the hill, pushing his muscles harder and taking deep breaths to soothe his aching lungs.

"Master Link, your attention please!" She raised her voice as much as she could, attempting to sound frustrated despite her emotionless nature.

Link rolled his eyes, but kept on running. "Yes, Fi?"

"Zelda is at the Statue of the Goddess, and Ghirahim has no magic."

Link skidded to a stop and drove his palm to his forehead. "Why didn't you tell me that _before _ran all the way up here?"

"I tried, Master. You were apparently preoccupied."

He caught the tone of sarcasm in her voice and glared at the spirit, turning around and sitting on the grass. Ah, yes. Tones. She had begun to develop them recently, and it gave her a bit of personality. Her eyes also appeared to be normal, human eyes on some days, with clear, blue irises that could hold anyone's gaze.

"What are the statistics for those facts you gave me?" Oh, he never thought the day would come when he asked that.

"The probability of Ghirahim no longer being in Skyloft is currently at 5%. His magic is currently depleted, and the probability of him finding a way to the Surface without his magic rests firmly at 1%. Zelda's aura is emanating strongly from the statue, and there is only a 17% chance Ghirahim would attempt to attack her in his current state. You may relax."

Link smiled lightly, sighing as he lay back in the grass, putting his hands beneath his head and staring up at the clouds. "Okay. That sounds good."

There was a long silence between the two, yet she did not return to her blade as she once did after giving information. She had recently taken to walking in the world rather than floating, and though it was hard at first, she was getting the hang of it and enjoyed being out even when Link didn't need her. With all the work still left to do on the Surface, he didn't much mind it, either. She was good company.

"Master, you did not sleep well last night."

Link smiled weakly at the blunt statement. "I never do."

She sat down next to him, staring blankly at the sky. "Master, perhaps you should seek medical attention to remedy this obstruction."

Link stared for a moment, and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Maybe you should see a doctor," she repeated.

Link shook his head. "We haven't had a doctor here since Kukiel's grandfather passed away three years ago. His son became a mechanic, so…"

"I see." Fi nodded to Link and then returned her gaze to the sky, a look of bewilderment on her face. "What is it humans find so fascinating about the sky?"

Link gazed up with her, thinking about that question for a moment, turning it over in his mind. "I don't actually know. It's just… a constant. The sky is always there; it's something you know you'll see when you look up. And on days like this, it's so peaceful and still… even when the world around us isn't."

Fi blinked slowly, getting to her feet and levitating to keep her balance. "I can understand this concept. Farewell, Master. Please, try to get some sleep."

Link nodded as she spiraled back into his blade and started towards town.

_I guess I'll start looking for Ghirahim. But… where?_

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><p>Ghirahim breathed a sigh of relief as Link made his way across the platforms in the water, slumping back against the cave wall.<p>

"That was close…"

He held his hand out in front of his face and brought his fingers together in a quick snap, but nothing happened. Sighing in frustration, he started walking down the long, dark tunnel, rubbing his upper arms as a shiver made its way through his body.

"I need a few more layers in this place. It's so damp and cold…"

It would have helped just to have his suit intact, too. All the rips and tears from their fight left the more sensitive areas of his skin open to the chilly air, and the tunic he had once worn in the arctic climate of Axialis was long gone. Everything had been destroyed in his last battle with Link.

Their last battle…

What had gone wrong? Mentally, what had happened to him? Was it dedication to his master? Disease? Stress? He had been so insane… Losing his mind, not thinking straight, thoughts a jumbled mess, laughing at his own pain, and feeling such strong regret at times when his blade sank into Link's flesh… all of it was just… crazy.

And Shai. The poor child… What he must think of his master now. Ghirahim had been so cruel towards him, despite their past relationship with each other—a healthy and open relationship Ghirahim had thrived on for years. To try and regain his trust after all this time was pointless, Ghirahim knew, and it was the worst feeling of all. The most prominent.

Feelings. Ah, feelings. There was no holding them back now. Regret for failing his master, self-loathing for his own behavior, sadness as his actions, anger at Link's triumph, envy of Shai's freedom, bitterness towards all of them for leaving him in the dust while they plunged ahead. Worst of all… self-pity. He really did pity himself for the life he had to lead, and he hated himself for pitying himself, if that made any sense at all. And he was confused at the hate he felt towards the self-pity that came about because he was sad about being left behind by those he felt anger and bitterness towards.

"Oh, just stop _thinking _about it!" He shouted to no one in particular.

Sighing in frustration, he made another attempt at magic, but shook his head as failure set in again.

"I suppose I'll just have to hide here until my powers return."

He hated to admit it, but without his magic he was… just a mortal. A skilled mortal, perhaps, but a mortal nonetheless, and unless he found some weapons, he was completely helpless.

Ghirahim growled, clenching his fists at his sides. The thought of being helpless was both foreign and unwelcome in his mind. He didn't like it, and he wanted it gone.

_At least the skychild didn't come in. I don't think I could stand another minutes in that sword._

Certainly Link had been a kind master, and on occasion he had let Ghirahim out see color and breathe air, but he had made it very clear Ghirahim was not to be trusted ever again. The last time he had been let out was a little over six months ago, and he had tried to escape. Bad plan. That was the last time Link let him leave the steel, and Ghirahim regretted that more than anything he'd ever done.

The first time, however, had not been bad…

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><p>"<em>Ghirahim, you are not leaving this room, and you are not permitted to touch anything without my permission, do you understand?"<em>

_Ghirahim nodded, knowing he was still weak and Link now owned him. "Yes, Master."_

_Link seemed a little surprised at the response, but said nothing and merely watched as Ghirahim made his way to the window, sitting on the floor and staring out at the bustling town with his face his hands and elbows resting on the windowpane._

_There was a silence between them, and then Link spoke up. "Ghirahim, come here." He beckoned the demon with his finger, and after a moment of hesitation Ghirahim walked over, repeating the only line he would probably ever say to the hero from this point on._

"_Yes, Master."_

_He stopped in front of Link and did not resist as the boy took his shoulder, pulling him over his lap. He did, however, look over his shoulder curiously as Link pulled the upper part of his suit down to his waist, exposing the deep, oozing lacerations. Then he turned the other way as Link's arm blocked his injuries from view. Then the other way, and back again, twisting this way and that._

_Link smiled slightly, placing a firm hand on his head and pushing it to the floor. "You're like a curious little three-year-old. Just sit still for a moment."_

"_Yes, Master."_

_And he did. He sat patiently as Link reopened all of his wounds and cleaned them, painful thought it was, and he did nothing as Link applied some sort of balm and wrapped them up. He remained bent over the skychild's knees until he was told to stand, and then he obeyed with a quick 'yes master' and returned to his window to gaze._

_After a few minutes, Ghirahim started to relax a little, though he still had his pride and refused to show Link how painful this was for him. Taking advantage of the open space, he stood up, cracking his back and neck and stretching out his cramped muscles._

"_What's it like in there?" Link asked curiously, lazing on his bed._

"_It's a never-ending white void, Master."_

_Link frowned. "Ick."_

_Ghirahim nodded, though in truth he didn't mind it too much. He was a thinker. He liked silence and time to just ponder things. That is, until he ran out of things to ponder. Then it just became an endless realm of the dull and lifeless, and it killed him a little more each second._

"_Alright, your ten minutes are up. Back in the blade, Ghirahim."_

_Link rose from the mattress and took hold of the hilt, drawing the weapon and holding it skyward. Ghirahim sighed and stepped towards it as the lavender glow started pulsing. Link drew the blade back, and Ghirahim braced himself._

"_Hurry up, Kukiel, we'll be late!"_

_Ghirahim froze at the sound of the voice, and he rushed to the window, sticking his head out and scanning the streets. Link grabbed his arm and pulled him back, but Ghirahim broke free and frantically searched the small range of vision he had, hearing the voice again._

"_Ghirahim, I will kill you here and now. You can't escape, so stop trying to—"_

_Ghirahim held out a hand, glancing between Link and the streets, a pleading expression on his face. "Just, just wait. I can—I can hear—just wait, just—"_

_There! There he was. Brown hair hanging in his blue eyes, ears lined with piercings, partial to the color black, an unmistakable laugh that was straight from heaven, and a smile that said, 'I dare the sun to shine brighter than this!'_

"_Shai…" He giggled, reaching back and grabbing Link's arm. "It's Shai! He's right over there! See him?" He turned to face his Master, smile quickly fading when the hero's blade pricked his throat._

"_Step away, Ghirahim, he's not yours anymore."_

_Ghirahim swallowed hard, nodding slowly. He glanced over his shoulder as Shai disappeared around the corner "He's okay? He's okay, right? And he's happy?"_

_Link paused for a while, and then nodded slowly, moving the weapon away. "Yes. He's perfectly healthy and well-adjusted."_

_Ghirahim turned from the window, kneeling on the ground. "Good… I… I'm sorry, Master. Please, continue."_

_Link frowned inspecting him for a minute before recharging his blade and plunging it into Ghirahim's diamond. The world exploded into white, and there he was, sitting in his little dark circle, once again free to think and stare off into space._

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><p>Ghirahim sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he curled up under an overhang in the rocks.<p>

"It's really… really cold. And I'm tired… None of my injuries healed while I was in the Master's Sword… It hurts."

He tucked his hands under his head and allowed his eyes to drift shut.

_Maybe my magic will be back… in the morning…_

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><p><strong>A\N: So, yeah. Really boring. XP I wanted to get in a lot of emotions for Ghirahim and some info about what's been happening since Rainbows, and I hope I did a good job, but there's so little interaction\conversation that to me it looks like a big pile of blah. *sighs* I hope you all enjoy, and hopefully the next chapter will be better and up soon!<strong>

**Thank you all again for your patience with me!**


	3. Running

**A\N: First off, an apology for the wait. Crazy week, and I'm not feeling to well. Most of this chapter was written on the go in my notebook, and then had to be transferred and edited. WOAH! 16 Reviews and I only have two chappies up? Thanks guys! :D *heart***

**Enjoy!  
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><p>Shai jumped awake to a loud gong-like sound in the background. He glanced behind the chair he had fallen asleep on, craning his neck around to see the source of the noise: a large grandfather clock propped against the wall.<p>

"Two a.m." He shook his head, sifting through his papers and charts tiredly. "Heh. How much I must seem like Master now. Searching maps and records for my plans."

Rubbing his face, he got to his feet, making his way to his coffee machine and pouring himself a mug. It was nice to have his own place where he was free to talk about Master and display childhood pictures and make drinks found only on the Surface. It had been obvious after just a week of playing dumb that he could not live without his Master having at least a small part in his life. He pretended to have nightmares and convulsions until Pipit suggested a change of scenery. After that, the "fits" slowly stopped, and Shai remained in his new home. Of course, he had enrolled and spent several nights in his dorm, but when he needed to get away, he would shake and twitch a little and say a "fit" was coming on, and no one questioned his long nights alone in his little shack.

Letting out a heavy sigh, he stated, "About this time on a Tuesday, I would be doing laundry for Master Ghirahim. And sometimes he would take a break from his scheming to come talk to me."

He choked up, covering his mouth to quiet himself. Though he was almost in his fifteenth year, there were some days when he felt like a helpless little child crying for Daddy. He… he knew it was childish and dumb, but he didn't _want _anyone else. His parents had been kind and all, but they weren't Master. Their relationship had been lost, and at this point was not on his list of things to find.

"Ow!"

Shai grabbed his left eye as pain spiked through his… sinuses? Shai dashed to a mirror, grinning wildly.

It was back! A crescent moon directly under his left eye, and his roots were turning black, too. He laughed, not at all minding the pain as his eyes shifted from blue to red and purple and his skin lightened a few shades.

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

If he was changing, his magic was back, and if _his _magic was back, so was Ghirahim's. In a few hours, his master would wake up and discover his abilities, and then he would head to the Surface. Link would follow him for sure… and Shai could begin his mission.

Thinking fast, he grabbed a satchel—black, of course—and stuffed it with anything he thought he would want or need, but wouldn't be able to obtain through magic. Things like potions and food, which he wouldn't know the immediate location of, or sealed spells that took a long time to make were all shoved into the bag.

Standing before his mirror, he held his hand up and snapped. Cool spandex was suddenly hugging his chest and arms, and soft yet durable fabric closed around his waist, pooling at his ankles. A scarlet sash was tied around his waist, and the white tape around his feet was a welcome sensation. His fingers grasped the bandana-like object at his throat and lifted it up, covering his mouth and nose with the red sheer.

Tossing the bag over his shoulder, he left his house, tacking an already prepared note on the front door and locking it behind him. He disappeared in a shroud of wine-colored spades and appeared outside the cave past the waterfall in Skyloft.

"Master…"

Taking a deep breath, he approached the cave, his eyes flickering left and right as he walked through the darkness. His heart pounded inside his chest, and his palms started to sweat.

Would Ghirahim look the same? Would he be in that creepy black form? Would he be mad at Shai for failing? Would… Would Ghirahim… send him away?

Shai stopped dead in his tracks.

What if he really _did _send him away? What if he rejected Shai? Yelled at him and whipped him. What if… What if…

Shai clenched his fists at his sides and set his jaw. Even if Master _did _reject him, he could not abandon him. He could, however, make sure his master wanted him without setting himself up for hurt.

Slowly, he made his way to where Ghirahim was, sneaking up silently. He snapped softly, a fleece sheet appearing in his hands. Kneeling at Ghirahim's side, he draped the fabric over his master's shivering body.

"Mmm…"

Ghirahim shifted, and Shai jumped, teleporting away. He left Ghirahim only the blanket and a note, but there were yet two more marks to place in Skyloft before he travelled to the Surface.

"Drat, I'm running out of time," he muttered, glancing at the rising sun. "I'll have to make this quick."

He snapped his fingers, and where he once stood, spades spiraled in a whirlwind towards the ceiling.

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><p>Ghirahim squinted at the blinding light as it streamed through the small hole near the ceiling of the cave. He sat up, blanket sliding from his chest, and—<p>

Blanket?

"What on Surface…?"

He sat up slowly, holding the sheet out in front of himself, running his fingers over the material. It was brand new fleece, the color of night, slightly dampened by the temperature in the cavern.

"Where did you come from?"

An envelope fluttered to the ground, and Ghirahim picked it up cautiously. Opening it, he looked around, hoping to see his mystery person.

No such luck.

Giving the note a flick, he began to read.

_Dear,_

_I hope the sheet was satisfactory and to your liking. Please proceed to Eldin quickly._

_Signed,_

_ P.S. Try your majyk!_

Ghirahim frowned, seeing it neither addressed nor signed.

_Try my magic?_

Ghirahim snapped his fingers, white spandex covering his body and repairing the tears where the suit was salvageable. Another snap and an onyx rapier formed in his hand, reflecting the morning sun off of the midnight steel.

_I can sense the Spirit Maiden nearby…_

He looked at the letter, which told him to go to Eldin. Who was this person? And what gave them the power and authority to tell Demon Lord Ghirahim what to do?

He searched the paged for clues, but the only noticeable thing he could find was the terrible misspelling of 'magic'.

_Majyk? Majyk?_

The odd mistake was familiar, but for some reason, the hand that wrote it escaped him. It was probably an after effect of the blade. Many things seemed to be fuzzy, but slowly returning to him, and it was very possible—probable, even—that in two hours, he would be having an 'aha' moment.

"Hmmm… To the maiden or no?"

Snapping, the blade vanished from his grasp, and Ghirahim went out of the cave through the back way.

"I don't believe this. She's right there, and I'm walking away." He sighed, and then felt pain sear through his side and shoulder. "Of course… I'm no good to my master this way. I'll go down to Eldin and recover, and then I'll come back and claim my prize."

Ghirahim stepped out onto a pathway of diamonds and glanced over his shoulder, smirking.

"I will see you very soon, skychild."

* * *

><p>"Master Link, please wake up."<p>

Fi nudged Link yet again, but the young hero was out like a light, and when he was out, there was no waking him. Sighing, she left the bed and floated out the window, lowering herself to the ground and materializing her feet so she could walk.

The ground still felt odd to her. Hard and dirty and so different from air. After endless centuries of floating, her feet were used to being pointed and dangling midair, and nowadays they hurt and sometimes got blisters, which of course led her to stop wearing shoes. This part, she did like. Going bare feet was something she wished she had started decades ago.

"Oh, hello, Fi!" Pipit saluted to her and continued along his patrol, but she jumped in front of him.

"Pipit, Master Link will not wake up, and I have very important news to tell him. Do you think you could assist me?"

Pipit laughed. "Figures the sleepyhead's still in bed. I'll go wake him up, let me get a bucket of water."

Fi smiled slightly and nodded as he ran off, remembering well the effectiveness of the bucket. She would have done it herself, but there was an obvious hindrance in her ability to do that.

She glanced down at the flowing sleeves with no arms, and almost sad expression on her face. While it was true she had been experiencing change, this was one thing that remained the same. No arms. And until she had arms, she was still useless in many areas.

Levitating herself back to the window, she entered his room and poked him once again with her knee. "Master Link, please rouse yourself."

Link rolled over in his sleep and mumbled something about a heart container.

"Master Link, Pipit is fetching the bucket. There is a 100% chance you will dislike it if he arrives and you are still slumbering."

"Hmm nnnggghhh…"

Fi floated over to his desk and seated herself on it, watching him carefully as the minutes ticked by until Pipit's arrival. It was exactly seven minutes, twenty-three seconds, and nine tenths of a second before Pipit entered the room, bucket in hand and water sloshing over the lip.

"Alright. Let's wake ourselves a hero." With that, he held the bucket high above his head and tipped it, letting the water splash down fully on Link's face and torso, enticing an instant response.

"Ah! Pipit, that's cold! Ah, holy Moblins that's freezing!" Link jumped up and quickly tore off his nightshirt, grabbing a towel from his wardrobe and drying himself. "What was that for?!"

Pipit jerked his thumb at the sword spirit perched on the desk. "She said she had important news and couldn't wake you. You really gotta break that sleeping habit." Pipit chuckled to himself, shaking his head and exiting the room.

Fi nodded to her assistant. "Thank you, Pipit."

"Anytime!" Pipit called down the hall.

Drying his hair, Link turned to Fi. "What is it?"

"Ghirahim's presence is gone from Skyloft and has been for nearly twenty-seven minutes."

Link's eyes widened. "Wait, when did he get a presence in the first place?"  
>"Twelve minutes prior to his departure, Master."<br>Link sighed, throwing on his undershirt, chainmail, tunic, and belt. "Alright, alright, I get the point. I thought I would have enough time to take a nap, okay?"

"Master, you are quite irritable."

"I'm not irritable! I'm just… tired."

"Being tired makes you irritable 98% of the time."

Link grumbled, strapping his sword and shield to his back. "Welcome to the 2%."

Fi shook her head and flipped into his sword, still speaking. "My calculations suggest you investigate the area both in and around the cave beneath the waterfall."

Link nodded, already out the door and making a beeline for his destination. There was silence between them, and Fi could tell her master was unhappy about something—or perhaps not unhappy, but confused. Well, in reality, he was 12% frustrated, 28% worried, 57% confused, 3% excited, 7% nervous, 3% just plain dissatisfied, but she was focused on the three and the twelve.

"Master, there is something on your mind."

Link sighed, jumping across the platforms for the third time that day. "Yeah."

"Would you like to share?"

Link paused, still running, and then let out another sigh. "Oh, I don't know. I'm just trying to decide whether or not I want to tell Zelda that Ghirahim's out. She was so… so angry at him. Every time I mentioned Ghirahim to her, even long after he was encased in the sword, she wanted none of it. Even when I used to let him out, she was angry and said I was being thick-headed for letting him walk free like that. I don't know what to think."

"My calculations have already shown me your confusion." She paused, hating to give information she had no factual statistic for, but realizing it was almost… necessary. "Ghirahim appreciated what you did for him."

Link stopped at the mouth of the cave, glancing over his shoulder at the hilt. "Really?"

"Ghirahim holds a strong dislike of this place, and he enjoyed his free moments. He would never admit it, but he also liked the way you treated him in comparison with Demise. However, he does not like it that he now has two masters with contradictory views, and because Demise was his first, there is a 99% chance he will stand by him. However, I think Her Grace's hostility towards him is… to be frank, it's very unnecessary."

Link pinched the bridge of his nose, walking into the cool darkness and shaking his head. "That's exactly what I thought, but what do I tell her?"

"I cannot advise lying, Master, it would be immoral."

Link laughed softly. "Of… course not."

"My apologies, Master."

"I'll think of something, it's alright." Link suddenly stopped as he heard a crunch beneath him. Moving his foot and bending down, he picked up the paper.

_Dear, _

_He isn't here anymore. Check Eldin._

_Signed,_

_ P.S. His majyk is back, so be careful!_

Link frowned, reading the note again and finding his name was not on it, though the message was obviously his. It wasn't signed, but whoever it was needed serious spelling lessons.

"Fi, what do you think of this?"

Fi came out of his blade, scanned the letter with her now humanoid eyes, and then turned to her master. "It appears to be legitimate information. I suggest you traverse to Eldin immediately."

Link nodded, and she returned to the sword.

_Now… to think up a good lie._

* * *

><p>Ghirahim had to do a double take and rub his eyes when he entered Eldin, and shortly after that he decided to check his blood for alcohol content. There were absolutely no monsters! Even before Ghirahim and Demist had taken over the Surface and destroyed it, monsters had made their home in the furnaces and magma pits. But now? Mogmas everywhere were busily digging, building up treasure, tearing down watchtowers and living in… could he manage the word? Peace! Peace with one another.<p>

_What… what happened here?_

Well, one thing was for sure, he couldn't stay out in the open. He had to find a place to hide, and he had to do it quickly. Snapping his fingers, he found himself on the summit of the volcano. Another snap and he was in the fire sanctuary. Ah, the fire sanctuary. Just the sight of the blood splotches on the ground and the ancient drawings on the walls reminded him of his battles with Link.

"Oh, this is going to be spectacular! To be back in the game, to plot and scheme, to return to my castle. There's so much to do, so many places to be, so many things to think about!"

He let out a joyous laugh, teleporting up to one of the ledges beneath the artwork. Removing his glove, he pressed his hand against the engravings and sighed, letting his eyes gently close in reverie of those moments now years behind.

"It truly was fabulous. All those bloodcurdling screams, the fights, the sweat, the exhilaration. No one gave me quite so much trouble as the skychild, and I look forward to our next clash."

Defeated once? Perhaps. But defeated twice? Never! Ghirahim would not allow that to happen. He had half of his work already done for him. He knew where they were, what their weaknesses were, he had more information at his disposal than he knew what to do with! And what did they have on him? He snapped his fingers, licked his lips, liked flashy clothes, and lived in the snow. That wasn't much for them to go on, now was it?

Letting out another laugh, he dropped to the floor and snapped his fingers, sealing the door.

"Ah, but I can't hand it over to the skychild that easily, can I? Oh no, I have to make him work for it."

Snap. He was on the other side of the door and calling monsters and obstacles and locks into existence wherever he walked.

"Let us see how you fare now, skychild. When blood is weeping into this parched, dry ground, we shall see whose it is."

* * *

><p>Link wiped his brow, glad that his 'checking the village' lie had gone over well with Zelda, and he urged his Crimson into a spiral, shooting towards the red light with excitement coursing through his veins. He had almost forgotten what it was like to await the final battle. What it was like to know who was waiting for him at the end and psyche himself up for the clashing of their blades.<p>

He was so ready for this. He was _so _ready.

He had saved the world, yes, but he had never given up his training. He remained sharp and vigilant, joined the night patrol—since he could never get to sleep anyways—and kept his senses sharp by ridding the lands below and above of the monsters that had once infested the Surface like a hoard of demons in their own little Hell.

"Master, do not inflate yourself too much."

"I won't, Fi, I won't. I just really think I can do it this time. I can end him."

"I would not be so assertive in that assessment, Master," was Fi's cautious advice.

Trying to hide his wounded pride, he asked, "What? Why not?"

"I am not speaking on a level concerning skill, Master."

Link opened his mouth to question her further, but at that moment, the hole was beneath them, and Link had to jump. Wind whipping through his hair as he dropped towards the scorching earth, he frowned at her choice of words.

_I guess I'll just ask her later._

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: Please review!<br>**


	4. I Hate Everything About You

**A\N: NOW we're getting somewhere! XD Link and Ghirahim have their first battle, Shai makes a few minor appearances, ahhh, yes, it's alllll coming together now... *evil cackle***

**ALRIGHT! Reviewer Thanking Time! I WOULD LOVE TO THANK: henslight, meijosui, HextheDaydreamer, Sideways Jill, and daMikuofAZ, CheerfulBubbles369, Shora, TheMysticalQ, Cold Calico, Leeyydybear, Some-ONe's-There, NeonDystortion, Whisperingmyear23, Kaiyt, WolfRunner326, TNTkitten, and DefineSugar! You all keep me going! Thank you all so much!**

**Now, before I continue, I want to those of you who follow my LOZ fanfics because of the torture to know that there are many good stories out there about GhirahimLinkTorture (none of it yaoi yet) and they should totally be checked out, faved, and reviewed:**

**'Merciless' by Neon Dystortion **

**'A Demon's Victory' and 'The Retribution of a Sword' by zelda3469**

** 'Tainted Tale' by 97**

**So, I hope they don't kill me for posting that... Unauthorized advertizing... XP But these are REALLY AWESOME STORIESSSSSSS! XD XD XD**

**Whew! Long Author's Note is Long. I'm done now, so Y'all can go ahead and enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Link could've killed Ghirahim. No, really, he could have. Four <em>hours <em>he had been running like crazy through this temple trying to unlock all the doors again and find his way to the sanctuary. Four. Hours. It was ridiculous! After all that work to clean this place up and clear the pathways, Ghirahim had to come along will-nilly and…

"Master, your thoughts are becoming disturbingly violent and distressed. Perhaps a quick break?"

Link sighed, sliding down the volcano walls and wiping his brow. "Yeah… Yeah, maybe that's a good idea."

It was still frustrating to think about what Ghirahim had done. It had taken Link weeks—months!—to clean this place up and get the citizens back on their feet. In just a couple of _hours _Ghirahim had managed to reverse it all. Sometimes Link felt like the world's housemaid. A housemaid working in a home with a million toddlers.

"Woah! Long time no see, kiddo!"

Link jumped as a purple-haired Mogma popped out of the ground, dusting the Eldin dirt from his hair. It had been a little over a year since Link had left Eldin, but during his stay, Plats had been the most helpful.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Link smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You lookin' for that white-haired hooligan again?"

Link laughed aloud at the name the Mogmas had given Ghirahim, and nodded his head. "That's exactly what I'm here for."

The Mogma laughed, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "You head through there, hang a left, and then go through the big door with the wicked golden lock, and you'll be there."

Link smiled weakly. "I kinda need the key first."

Plats disappeared, and a few seconds later a chest was pushed up through the dirt. The Mogma slid it closer to Link and propped his elbows up on the dirt, resting his chin in his hand. "I thought I'd help you out, big guy! Snuck this outta one of them rooms while I was looking for treasure. I recognized the style, ya' know? Giddap and get'em, kiddo!"

Link threw the chest open and grabbed the key, pumping his fist. "This is great! Thanks!"

Plats saluted with a laugh and disappeared into the dirt, leaving Link to run to the sanctuary.

"Are my thoughts still violent, Fi?" he asked with a smirk.

"No, merely excited."

Link grinned and ran down the hall, psyched up and ready to go.

_This time, I'm ending it for real._

* * *

><p>Shai smiled as he made his way into the sanctuary, concealing his presence so as not to be sensed as he hid in the rafters. He watched the way Ghirahim paced the floor, and at just one glance to his face, Shai knew he was becoming impatient. If it had been like in the olden days, where the Spirit Maiden was just past those doors, he would not have had this problem. He would have run in and claimed her. But now he was actually waiting for Link to show, and seeing as that was taking a long time… he wasn't very happy.<p>

He wasn't alone, either. Link wasn't very pleased with the situation himself. All of his hard work had been reversed in less than a day, and he was probably running on very little sleep. Then again, that wasn't something new. Shai noticed that Link rarely slept no matter where he was or what was going on, and it didn't help that the stress of being the goddess' chosen hero was piling up on his seventeen-year-old shoulders.

If Shai's calculations were correct, neither of them would win this battle.

_That's alright. It'll be a learning experience for both of you._

* * *

><p>Ghirahim crossed his arms over his chest, growling as another minute slowly ticked by in silence.<p>

"Is it really that much to ask the skychild to be prompt? I mean, honestly, he keeps me locked in a blade for a year and a half with nothing to do but think and twiddle my thumbs, and then when I _do _get out, he makes me twiddle my thumbs some more as he moseys his way through this temple like he has all the time in the world."

Ghirahim scoffed, giving his hair a sharp flick. If that blasted Spirit Maiden was involved, Link would have been here hours ago.

In reality, Ghirahim was a little okay with the fact that Link was taking so long. Ghirahim was able to think about strategies and what to say when the boy entered the room. He could practice a little, flipping his swords this way and that, and it gave him a chance to adjust to the sweltering heat.

Suddenly, a loud clank like rusty gears starting to wind came from the door, and Ghirahim's ears perked up. Snapping his fingers, a chair appeared beneath him, and he sat down on it, resting his head in his hand and waiting for the massive door to open.

It did, and just as he expected, Link walked through, sword gleaming and eyes narrowed into slits.

"It took you _forever, _skychild!" Ghirahim chastened, wagging his finger at the boy. "I was so bored here waiting for you. You really shouldn't do that to your oldest enemy. I mean, have I ever kept _you _waiting for a fight?"

Link ignored him and walked right up to the chair, staring down at Ghirahim with a firm expression. An expression Ghirahim didn't like. He had expected some anger or even a little fear from the boy, but… there was nothing of that sort. Just a calm, determined, in control expression.

"Ghirahim, I told you not to escape. You _know _better."

Ghirahim bristled, jumping to his feet and slicing at the boy's throat with a frustrated shout. Link easily sidestepped and shook his head, obviously displeased.

_What? WHAT?! I 'yes, master' him a few times and now he thinks he… he thinks he… owns me?!_

Gripping the Master's sword, Link approached Ghirahim, an almost… condescending look in his eyes. As if he wondered why Ghirahim would even try. As if he thought Ghirahim was _weak_.

In a mere snap, a barrage of daggers shot towards Link, and the demon brought two swords to his hands shortly after, running at the boy before he could recover from deflecting the black shards. He thrust his right sword forward, and the boy turned away from it to avoid the blow. Foreseeing this, Ghirahim drove his left blade up and under the young Hero's shoulder joint, shoving him to the ground as blood splashed from the wound, staining his tunic.

The smell of the delightful copper brought many thoughts back to the overlord's mind. Memories of those long days in nights in Eldin when Link was nothing but a torn-up ragdoll at his feet. How far away that all seemed now…

Gasping in pain, Link struggled to his feet and dislodged the weapon, turning to Ghirahim with a fierce anger alight in his eyes.

"Just because you enslaved me once do not discount me, skychild. I have had many years to think over and correct my mistakes, and I am now a completely different demon. Oh!" Ghirahim smirked, tracing his finger down his jaw to his chin to tap it in mock contemplation. "And there's one other thing…"

An explosion of diamonds, and Ghirahim was behind Link, wrapping his arms around his torso to hold him as he lowered his lips to his captive's ear. "This time, you don't have information I need. So there is absolutely _no _reason for me to let you live."

Link stiffened, but flipped his blade as best as he could in his restricted position, and seconds later, Ghirahim felt a burning pain sear through his hip. He teleported away, holding the wound with one hand while the other still held his rapier. "I see that you, too, have changed. You're more irritating."

A slight smirk graced the blonde's lips, and he lunged forwards, swinging his sword high and striking low, barely missing Ghirahim's kneecap as the elder flipped away, crouching to the ground and sending his sword upward at Link's chest, only to have it blocked by the shield. Going higher, he aimed to drive his blade down, but Link's own arm swung out and caught his chest, sending him stumbling back. Teleporting again, he positioned himself to the right of the hero, and as the boy whirled to search for him, he ran at top speed, head ducked and blade at his side. In a solid, upward slice, he managed to get a nice piece of Link's shoulder, and since they were now approaching the chair Ghirahim had so carelessly left, he decided to strike again, forcing the hero to move toward the object.

Link saw it coming and attempted to get around the demon, but Ghirahim thrust him back, and he toppled over the marble throne, crashing into the ground with a sickening thud. Snapping the chair into oblivion, Ghirahim approached his victim and raised his blade to end the maggot in a pool of blood as it should have been years ago.

Link rolled out of the way at the last second, and in the momentary tug-of-war Ghirahim had with the earth, he landed several blows to the elder's arm.

"Alright, now that's enough, Link!" Ghirahim jumped back, his blade now retrieved, and held it up in a defensive position. "I don't want to play games this time, so just die like a good little boy!"

Link grinned, twirling his sword before grasping it again and swinging it loosely. "I thought I was an irksome gadfly."

Ghirahim chuckled as the two began to circle each other, flipping his hair. "Well, you're that, too."

There was a slight moment of silence as the two realized they had somehow slid into a form of playful banter, and Ghirahim added to his previous comment. "Among other things I won't say because I don't want to ruin your innocence at this young age."

"You're old enough to know'em all."

Ghirahim glared and Link smirked, holding his sword tighter. Ghirahim took that as his signal to go. Holding his blade with both hands at his side, he ran forwards and swung upwards, colliding with the Hylian Shield. He continued to whack away at the sturdy metal, occasionally managing to slide around the barrier and get a few bites of flesh.

Link ran towards the exit of the chamber, rolling underneath Ghirahim's blade as the demon sent it flying through the air at top speed. Blood showered the stone floors as a second blade sent Link toppling to the ground, pinned between the first sword and a pillar of solid marble.

Ghirahim snapped his fingers, a wide grin lighting his features. "Well, well, well, what have we here?" He sent a few of his little black daggers into Link's body, pinning his body to the scorching floor.

Ghirahim leapt into the air, sword raised high above his head. Link didn't have time to move, and even if he had, there was nowhere to go. Ghirahim drove the sword down—

—and let it go with a shout as pain coursed through his body like burning acid.

Clutching his wounded arms close to himself, he stumbled back and hit the ground, a baffled expression on his face.

_What just happened?_

Link also stared, and there was a moment where the sanctuary was completely silent.

Jerking as though he'd been splashed in the face with cold water, Link pulled himself free and jumped to his feet. He ran at the fallen demon, sword held firmly in wet, bloodsoaked hands.

Ghirahim panicked for a second, but remembered his magic and vanished. He landed on the summit by a small waterfall, panting and looking around to get his bearings. Since when did he teleport without knowing where he was going to end up? And why was he so dizzy?

"What… What happened to me?"

He watched the clear liquid fall from the rocks, still stunned at the outcome of the battle. The pain… it was so intense. Link had been right there. Stranded and helpless! He should have known it wasn't going to be that easy.

He jumped suddenly as a crumpled piece of paper hit his head. Unrolling it, he read aloud.

_Dear,_

_Having problems ending enemies? Stop by the healing spring in Faron—but watch out! Your adversary will follow unless you block the Bird Statues' power. _

_Signed,_

"Great, another mystery letter." Sighing heavily, Ghirahim got to his feet, only to crumple back to the earth and gasp in pain.

"P-perhaps I should wait a while before I try… to go anywhere."

The agony was deep and penetrating, starting with a burning sensation on the surface of his pale skin and seeping all the way into the bone where it ached and throbbed and intensified. He had never felt this way before, at least that he could remember. Then again… there were certain parts of his memory that were still scattered.

_Majyk… Majyk… I know I've seen that before! It's… It's a good memory, I can feel that much. But… but _who _is the memory _with?

Drawing his legs up to his chest, he leaned back against the warm stones, closing his eyes and letting the tension slip away from his body as the sun's rays streamed onto his face, easing the pain in his body, if only by a little.

_Perhaps at the healing spring I can gather my thoughts and just think for a while. Think with a clear mind instead of this crowded one._

Shaking his head at his own pathetic train of thought, he lifted his gaze to the sky.

"You always were good at keeping track of things. You would help me remember, wouldn't you?"

* * *

><p>Shai bowed to nothing but thin air as a smile graced his features.<p>

"Of course, Master. That's exactly what I'm doing for you; you just have to be patient."

Spades and smoke erupted from the place where he stood, and when it was gone, so was he.

* * *

><p>"Faron, huh?"<p>

Link reread the letter, trying to find any sort of clue as to who was sending him these hints.

_Dear,_

_Your opponent is travelling to Faron to the healing springs. Follow him there, and finish what you started—but don't think it so easy! I would suggest returning to Skyloft for potions and fairies just in case._

_Signed,_

Link sighed, stuffing the note into his pocket as he made his way to the nearest bird statue he could find. This person hadn't been wrong the first time, so why not go ahead and listen again? It wasn't doing any harm. There were only so many places Ghirahim could run, and with this newfound problem the demon had, Link could never lose! At least… that's what it looked like.

"Fi, do you have any idea what happened to Ghirahim at the end of the battle?"

Her voice chimed from his blade, though she didn't show herself as she normally did. "I have no statistics on that subject in this current moment. However, I can assuredly assume he is unable to kill his own master. His very being rejects it—therefore, he cannot kill you."

Link sighed in relief, arriving at a statue and preparing to launch himself into the air.

"But be wary, Master. Albeit he is unable to kill you, he can do everything but. You'd be fascinated at what you can live through."

Link felt a tingle travel up his spine. "I see… thank you."

"Yes, Master."

Link tried not to dwell on that last statement as he soared through the sky, but he couldn't deny his fear of Ghirahim's twisted mind. His power was no match for the Master's Sword, and Link's determination hadn't failed him yet, but all it took was one mistake, and Link was at the sadistic being's mercy.

There were still some nights he woke up in a sweat, brand throbbing, heart racing, mind wild with fear. Then he would realize he was just sitting in his bedroom on a warm, fluffy mattress, and he would start to relax. He would check his sword, and upon sensing the demon brooding inside, would ease himself under the sheets and doze off once again.

His hand instinctively made its way to the mark still burned into his thigh, and he shook his head, trying not to remember that dark, suffocating night beneath the surface of Eldin.

"Master, you just passed Skyloft."

Link jerked himself from his thoughts and groaned. "Whoops… Thanks Fi."

"Yes, Master."

He circled back and dove off, readying his Sailcloth.

_I never, _ever _want to go through that again._

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: TOO BAD, LINKY! It's comin' like a train. *evil cackle*<strong>

**Link: *stares at readers and mouths* Please Help Me... PLEASE.**

**Me: What was that?**

**Link: N-Nothing!**

**Ghirahim: *grabs him from behind* Come along, skychild. The sadistic author is busy. Writing about you and I and all the fun we're going to have!**

**Link: *facepalm; whimpers***

**Me: PLEASE REVIEW! :D It will fill my heart with rainbows!**


	5. The Truth of the Matter is Confusing

**A\N: WHOOT WHOOT! FIVE CHAPTERS! IT HAPPENED! I knew I would get into the swing of this story.**

**Okay, so... I feel the need to share this... I'm not sure why, but it's a Ghirahim YouTube video, and I just... I find it REALLY funny. XD I don't know why, but I do, and I want to spread it around, so... check it out if you want. Or type in Ghirahim - I'm Fabulous into the search bar of youtube... XD XD XD XDDDDDDD**

**Link: .com (slash) watch?v=RzIzytT9KUY&list=PLFFBFACED10AA4ADB&index=11&feature=plpp_video**

**Oh, yeah. Spanking in a flashback somewhere near the very bottom! Not descriptive. Like... at all. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Rebuckling his belt, Link headed out the door of the Bazaar, loaded with potions and upgraded weapons. He felt ready for anything.<p>

"Fi, status?"

Fi appeared through the door of the Bazaar, sporting a new necklace he had bought for her surprisingly human neck. "My statistics show you are 95% physically ready to end Ghirahim's life and can do so if you arrive in Faron within the next fifteen to twenty-five minutes."

Link nodded, running for a nearby ledge, but then stopped. "Why do you keep saying I'm physically ready? You did it earlier, too? It there some way I'm _not _ready?"

Fi paused for a very long time, sky blue eyes calculating the facts she had and trying to find a way to say them. "I do not believe you are emotionally ready to end the life of Demon Lord Ghirahim. Your playful banter yesterday afternoon merely supported this theory."

Link cut her off right there with a laugh. "No way! That was just… you know, we got distracted."

"But you enjoyed it, Master. When you think about it, Ghirahim has done nothing to make you chase after him. When he escaped, he had weapons nearby and you were sound asleep, yet he did not take your life. He left Skyloft without Zelda, and he has not harmed Shai since then, nor has he tried to reclaim him. He made an attempt on your life in Eldin, and it is obvious he still enjoys battling you, but other than that, he has kept very much to himself."

Link shrugged it off, drawing closer to the platform. "Of course he has. He's weak now and all alone. Give him time. He'll capture Shai and Zelda, grow his power, and the next thing you know, Demise is back. You said yourself he's not completely dead, so as long as Ghirahim is around, there's a threat that Demise will be back."

Fi sighed, letting her shoulders drop as she spiraled back into the True Master's Sword. Link rolled his eyes and dropped from the wood, arms spread as he fell through the air towards the cloud barrier. He drew his hands to his mouth and whistled long and loud, a faint whisper barely making its way to his ears through all the noise.

"You are making a mistake, Master."

* * *

><p>It was several hours before Ghirahim could move and use magic again, even though he had slept all night and some of the morn, and when he did move it was painful, and he felt shaky and lightheaded. Whatever had happened in that sanctuary did a big number on him, and it didn't appear to be going away anytime soon. Maybe that was why the mystery person was telling him to go to a healing spring…<p>

Clutching the wound in his side, he started walking down the volcano, pain searing through his body with every agonizingly slow step he took. The moblins he passed still backed away in pure terror, but Ghirahim couldn't have taken them down if he tried.

He was halfway down the mountain when he stopped for a rest, panting as he sank down the wall, holding a hand to his head. Gritting his teeth, he let one fist sink into the dirt below, fire sparking in his eyes.

"Why is this so painful? I am nearly three thousand years old, and I have never felt this before in my life. What _is _it?!"

But the wind wasn't inclined to answer, so Ghirahim pulled himself to his feet and stumbled down the hill further, hoping that if he made it to Faron, the fresh air would clear his senses. If he could just… make it to… Faron… Why did Faron suddenly seem so far away?

After a few more struggles and nearly falling into the lava once or twice, Ghirahim arrived at the entrance to Eldin and leaned against the wall, taking a few deep breaths to steady himself. Black spots darted across his vision, and his stomach churned as he took a step forward.

_I feel so sick… Was this how Link felt after all that torture? I didn't know pain… could make one quite so sick… _

His shaking hand slipped from the rocks, and his legs gave out. The dirt rushed up to meet him, and everything went dark.

* * *

><p>Shai gasped when his beloved master hit the ground in a crumpled heap. He had known it would be severe when Ghirahim attempted to attack Master Link, but he hadn't thought it would send the Demon Lord to his knees!<p>

"Master?" he whispered under his breath, though he didn't dare approached until he was certain Ghirahim was unconscious.

The minutes ticked away, finally reaching the number seventeen, and Shai made his way down, grasping the loose and crumbling rocks as his boots dug into the sides of the cliff.

_I can't wait_ _until we're in Faron so I can be barefoot again. Shoes are the epitome of evil._

An odd thought coming from a demon, perhaps, but a completely honest one.

Landing on the ground with a gentle bend of his knees, he ran to Ghirahim's side knelt down. He lifted Ghirahim's head onto his lap, stroking the hair out of his tired eyes and pressing two fingers into the crook of his neck. He sighed in relief when he felt a steady pulse, and with some effort, he managed to lift Ghirahim from the earth and into his arms.

Straining to support the dead weight, he snapped his fingers, and water poured over his head pooling at his feet. Lowering himself to his knees, he placed Ghirahim in the healing spring and massaged the afflicted muscles, occasionally splashing water onto the demon's face to help him regain consciousness.

"Master, wake up."

But Ghirahim didn't respond, and Shai started to get a little worried. Disobeying one's master didn't end in death… did it? Trying to keep himself calm, he took a new and less gentle approach to waking him up: He slapped him. Hard.

Ghirahim jerked, groaning as his head lolled to one side. "What… where am I? What's going on?"

Shai smiled widely and got out of the water, running far enough away that Ghirahim wouldn't be able to hear it when he snapped his fingers, but another sound stopped him cold.

"Ghirahim!" It was followed by the unsheathing of a sword.

…Green Link?

* * *

><p>Link ran at the demon sitting in the water, sword held high. Ghirahim's head snapped up, eyes wide with a look that was nothing but utter confusion. Scrambling to his feet, he dodged the attack, and Link whirled around, slicing at his shoulder. Ghirahim stumbled backwards as blood spurted from the laceration in his arm, letting out a soft cry.<p>

Staggering, Ghirahim ran up the nearby pathway and into the deep woods, leaving Link standing in the water, slack-jawed.

"He's running?"

Frowning, he followed after, sword still grasped tightly in his hands. There was no way Ghirahim was actually running away, right? Not teleporting, not taunting, not playing with Link, but actually _running_. Rounding a corner, he saw the demon doubled over and panting. Slowly approaching him, he held his blade midway up his body, ready for an attack, but not willing to strike first.

His mind raced as he took more quiet steps towards his winded opponent. Was he sick? Was he injured? There had been that weird flash of light in the temple before Ghirahim's sudden retreat. Was he going to attack? Surrender? Run more?

Link got his answered as Ghirahim straightened and whirled around, outstretched hand wielding a rapier that sliced Link's face as the demon circled around and ran up ahead. Link drew up his sword and ran after him, letting out a fierce cry as he brought the blade down on Ghirahim's shoulder.

Ghirahim growled, almost tripping but managing to stay upright. Taking the sword in his left hand, Link reached out with his right, legs pumping harder as he struggled to keep up. Ghirahim was surprisingly agile, and apparently found it amusing to duck in and out of trees and bushes in order to confuse Link as much as possible.

_One more inch and—_

Ghirahim stumbled a bit, and that was all the hero needed. He grasped Ghirahim's wrist in his hand and gave a firm jerk, turning him around and pushing him to the grass, driving his knee into his gut. Ghirahim let out a cry of pain and slumped to the earth, Link straddling his hips, sword poised to permanently end their fight.

For a brief moment, pure terror flashed through Ghirahim's eyes, and then, a calm and steady expression replaced the old one, and he began to speak. "Hmm… I see you've won. I suppose I have underestimated you, Link." Then he closed his eyes, resting his head in the grass below. "Go ahead. One of us has to lose eventually."

Link braced himself and flexed his fingers over the hilt, sweat dripping down his brow and sticking his hair to his face. Gritting his teeth, he plunged the blade downward.

The sound of metal on metal filled the air as the True Master's Sword was thrown to the side harmlessly, and Ghirahim opened his eyes. Link stared up at the raven-haired boy before him and gasped out, "Shai?"

"Shai?!" Ghirahim shouted.

Shai turned slightly to smile at his master, confirming Ghirahim's suspicions, and then turned back to Link. "I cannot allow you to end Master's life, Green Link. You should know that."

Link got to his feet and somersaulted to the side, grabbing up his sword and pointing it at Shai, though his gaze was on Ghirahim. "When did you capture him again? Why can't you just leave him alone?"

Ghirahim then jumped to his feet, a rather indignant tone in his voice though he was swooning from blood loss. "I did no such thing! Don't go around accusing people when you don't know the facts! I haven't seen him since the day you trapped me in the Master's Sword."

"Then how did he get here?" Link accused, pointing the tip of his sword at Ghirahim's throat.

Ghirahim shoved it away, delivering a sharp backhand to the hero. "I don't even know how _I _got here, skychild!" he shouted, and Shai grabbed onto him, holding him back.

"Master, calm—"

"How did you get here?" He whirled, poking his finger in Shai's chest. "_When _did you get here, and _why_ did you wait until the last minute to act?"

Shai hung his head, and Link felt extreme sympathy for the boy, not understanding why Ghirahim couldn't shut up for once and let the child be. Slowly drawing his sword up, he took a few steps towards Ghirahim.

"I was worried you wouldn't let me."

Ghirahim stopped mid-tirade, and his hand fell to his side. There was a long silence, and Link stopped his advance, suddenly feeling like he should leave them alone to continue this conversation.

Shai suddenly gasped and bowed. "Hylia, your grace!"

Link whirled around, but Zelda was nowhere to be seen. Confused, he turned back to the two demons—and saw nothing but grass and sky. They were gone.

"What… just happened?"

Fi popped out of the blade, levitating in front of him. "Master, I would suggest speaking with the old woman in the Sealed Grounds. She may have some insight, as Ghirahim spent most of his days with Shai in this general area."

Link nodded slightly, not even bothering to ask how she knew how Ghirahim spent his days, and started for the Sealed Grounds.

* * *

><p>Ghirahim stared at his young ward, a deep ache forming in his chest as he listened to Shai's explanation of why he hesitated to show himself.<p>

"…and so I hid. I was scared that you were angry with me and if I came back you would… you would… you know, reject me. Kick me out on the welcome mat, and—"

Ghirahim grabbed the slave by the shoulders and pulled him in closely, gently kissing the top of his head as he wrapped his arms around the body, crushing it against his chest.

"M-Master?" Shai asked, sounding nervous. He was afraid to trust Ghirahim.

He was _afraid _to trust his own _master._

Gritting his teeth, Ghirahim strengthened the embrace, choking out two simple words he knew meant the world to the child in his arms. "I'm sorry."

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Link took a few hesitant steps into the temple, eyes darting from place to place in search of the old lady who guarded this place. "Are you here, Impa?"<p>

Impa slowly hobbled out from behind the Gate of Time and smiled warmly at Link, motioning for him to come closer and seat himself on the steps. "I've been expecting you."

Link sat down on the second step and looked up at her with a quirky grin. "You say that every time I come."

The smile didn't leave her face. "Because I'm always expecting you."

If Link could've seen her eyes, he was certain he would have seen a twinkle.

"Impa, I need advice. Or help. Or both." He sighed heavily, resting his chin in his hands. "I need to know more about Ghirahim. I'm really confused right now. Is he a bad guy? Or a good guy? Or a bad guy who does good things sometimes but still need to be taken out? Does he need forgiveness? Should I… you know…" He barely managed to finish the thought process, let alone speak it, but it did come out, "Befriend him?"

Impa continued to smile at him, and she raised out hand, palm towards the ceiling. A small ball of bluish white light formed over her hand, and she moved it towards Link's forehead, speaking to him in gentle tones.

"I'm going to send you to another time right now. No one will see you or hear you, but you will see them. You can alter nothing but your own mind and opinions in this realm. If you need to freeze time, thrust the Master's Sword into the ground. If you listen close enough, you can even hear thoughts."

Link nodded, staring at the glowing orb in fascination. "Is that all I need?"

"That is all you need."

Blinding light exploded through his vision, and then… gentle rays of the sun were streaming through the cracks. It was obviously another time of day, late afternoon rather than morning, and the air smelled… fresher. Like it was spring.

"Ohh, this is so shiny! I wonder if Master will let me add it to my collection."

Link whirled around to see a young, black-haired boy crouching in the dirt and fingering a sparkling ring in his hands. He giggled, jumping to his feet and chasing some nearby birds, trying time and time again to get them to perch on his hand.

Link caught the boy's eyes for just a moment and was hit with a revolution.

"Shai?"

The little boy was so… childlike. Innocent. Link had always assumed that all these years, Shai had been chained up in some cold, dark dungeon, living on next to nothing and struggling to survive. But the boy was healthy, strong, curious, playful, and apparently as prone to getting covered in mud as any other child on the Surface or in the Sky.

"Shai! Shai, where are you?!"

Link groaned, hearing the all-too-familiar voice the angry demon get closer and closer to the building. Shai jumped and whirled around, facing the entrance.  
>"Oh, no…" he whimpered, and fled towards the other door.<p>

Link bit his lip, hoping the child would make it to safety, but fearing that was next to impossible. All thoughts left his mind, however, when a blue hand seized the young boy by the throat and lifted him off of the ground.

_Moblins?!_

Link instinctively grasped his sword, even though he knew he could do nothing but watch, and stepped towards the creatures fighting over who would get to eat Shai first. He had to be able to do something, right? Couldn't he… focus hard enough or something like that?

A white-clad figure intercepted him before he could take another step, and moments later, ashen remains littered the floor. The sword in Ghirahim's hand dissipated, and he crossed his arms over his chest, glaring hard at the youngster on the floor. Link moved around towards the front, hoping to get some indication of just how furious the demon was.

"M-Master… you… heh, you found me."

Ghirahim glared a moment more, and then grabbed Shai by the arm, pulling him to his feet and staring hard at him. "I told you to stay by my side and not run off! I have been searching endless hours for you, Shaika. I am _very _disappointed."

"Master, I'm s-sorry! I won't do it again, I p-promise."

Ghirahim sighed, leading the boy over to the steps with a firm hand. Link followed, heart pounding wildly in his chest. Did he have to witness the boy being beat? What was Impa trying to prove? What good would this do? Unless maybe… Maybe Link really did need to take Ghirahim out. Maybe that's what this all meant.

"I know you are, Shai, but you've already disobeyed me, and I can't let that slide."  
>"P-Please… please don't, Master!"<p>

Ghirahim shook his head, placing his foot on the steps nearby. Reaching down, he tugged Shai's pants and underwear to his ankles and lifted the screaming child up and over his knee.

"Shai, you need to listen when I tell you something. Be quiet now and accept it."

Ghirahim's glove evaporated, and the bare hand made solid contact with Shai's bottom, making the child wail in protest. Link felt his stomach churn at the cries as he stepped around again so he could see Ghirahim better.

It was odd, but Link remembered Zelda telling stories of her father spanking her as a child, and what she had described seemed something like this. Link himself had never been spanked—he didn't have parents to spank him—and he had never really needed to be. He was a fairly obedient child.

Unsheathing his weapon, he thrust it into the ground and stepped a little closer to the scene, gazing up into Ghirahim's frozen eyes. Something was missing in them. They were… sad? Yes, they were sad. The sadistic sparkle of pleasure that normally lit his eyes was gone, and he seemed truly upset about the entire situation.

_Impa said if I try hard enough, I can hear thoughts. Maybe…_

Link jerked his sword out of the cobblestone floor and closed his eyes, listening past the cries and loud smacks and trying to hear the deeper sense of what was going on.

"_Why does he make me do this? Is he having a bad day? This is the fourth time I've spanked him, and it's hardly noon! I know he's not a bad boy, but he has to be disciplined—he just has to! But… when he looks at me with those eyes… it becomes so painful…"_

Ghirahim finished the job and pulled the baggy shorts up over the now bright red behind. Taking the small demon in his arms, Ghirahim sat on the stairs, rubbing Shai's back and shushing him quietly.

"There, there… it's all over now. Stop crying."

"I'm s-sorry, M-Master," the boy sobbed, covering his eyes and hanging his head.

Ghirahim lifted his face and—

Link stumbled back, tripping over a large stone and hitting the floor, eyes wide with shock. Ghirahim was… kissing Shai? Yes… Yes, a gentle kiss on the tearstained cheek followed closely by a warm embrace and proposition.

"Now, to return to the castle and drink some hot cocoa. How does that sound?"

"Yes, Master." Suddenly, Shai reached into his bag and grabbed out a shining, golden armband. "I found it and cleaned it up, Master. It's a bracelet for you! I thought since, you know you wear earrings and girly stuff like that, you wouldn't mind a bracelet, too."

Ghirahim frowned, taking the gold in his hands. "Shai, I've already told you I'm not a girl!"

Shai gave his master a hug, stroking his hair. "That's okay. You can just tell me when you're ready."

Ghirahim threw his head back and laughed, sliding the band up his arm until it was secured. "How about I wear it like that? The manly way."

Shai giggled. "You need to work out, Master."

Ghirahim rolled his eyes, standing up and walking away with Shai on his hip. There was moment of silence, and then Ghirahim presented a question. "Shai… are you having a bad day or something?"

Link followed them towards the door, but they passed through the archway and into the forest, and he could no longer hear their conversation. The illusion dissipated, and he was now in the present where he belonged. Turning slowly, he gazed at Impa with bewildered eyes.

"Impa… what… I don't understand."

Impa smiled at him. "You know what it means; you are just struggling with yourself. Go to the healing springs. Take a deep breath and think for a while."

More discombobulated than he had ever been in his life, he walked out the door in a sort of a daze, making his way to the spring.

_So Ghirahim is… good? No… No, he _can't _be! He kidnapped Zelda and tried to destroy the Surface! He… he tortured me. How can someone like that be good?_

Link sighed. This was going to take a lot more than one deep breath and short while of thinking.

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: So, Shai is back with Ghirahim, Link knows the truth, and everyone can live happily ever after, right?<strong>

**HAH. WRONG.**

**Please review!**


	6. Pointing Fingers

**A\N: *rocking out to Diamond Rio 'This is My Life'* THIS IS MY LIFE! TAKE AND USE IT! I GIVE UP THE FI-OH! *rubs the back of her neck and chuckles* Heh heh... Readers! *clears throat* Ahem! Chapter 6! YAY! XD**

**SO. No torture in this chapter, that will be the next one, and hopefully when it does come, it will not halt the plot (because that is not my intention) but rather keep it moving! I hope you like this more than I do because... URG. It just is making me mad. I don't know... I like the length and what gets done but... Bleh. I'm just down on it. **

**So, don't know when I'll be updating this again. Hopefully soon, but I'm going to write out my whole outline so I don't lose sight of where I need to end up eventually (i tend to do that) so it may be a lil while... **

**Please Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"Easy, Master, don't push yourself so hard." Shai pressed a hand against Ghirahim's throbbing chest, the other hand grasping the wrist that hung limply around his shoulders.<p>

Ghirahim ignored the caring gesture and clenched his fist at his side, walking faster. "I want to get as far away from here as possible. Now. I am not going to wait until I feel like travelling. I want nothing to do with this land."

Shai pulled back on Ghirahim's shoulders, digging his feet into the ground. "Please, slow down, Master! Green Link is too far behind us to attack now, but if you keep this up we'll be stuck, and he'll catch us."

Ghirahim sighed, easing his pace to a steady walk and leaning against Shai for support. "If we could _teleport_…" He let the statement hang, and Shai's head bowed in shame.

"I'm sorry, Master, but I'm not strong enough to take both of us all the way to Lanayru."

Ghirahim jerked, shaking his head. "No, no, it's okay. I like walking." He smiled down at the young boy, tousling his hair. "And things are going back to normal, just like I promised, so no more taking things out on you."

Shai nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He was still a little afraid of Ghirahim, even though he knew the demon was honestly trying to make amends. How could he forget the one-eighty his master had made during those few short weeks? Shai's back was littered with scars from Ghirahim's whip, and some nights it was as if he could still feel it biting into him.

But they were going to make this work. Shai was Ghirahim's servant—Ghirahim was Shai's master. In a sense, the two had betrayed _each other _and they needed to fix that. Even as Ghirahim walked beside him, a smile lighting his eyes and a joyous spring in his step, Shai was certain he was on edge. Ghirahim had to have felt betrayed—and why wouldn't he? In his darkest hour, Shai had punched him in the face and then failed to show up on time to save him.

"M…Master, I wanted…" Shai stopped, knowing he had the words to say, but unable to find a way to sort them out and make a coherent sentence.

"Yes, Shai?"

"I didn't know… if you knew but…" Shai cleared his throat and stopped walking, rubbing his neck as his face heated up. "That day, when you were fighting Green Link…"

Ghirahim frowned, glancing at the ground. "Yes. What about it?"

"I wanted you to know… I… what I'm trying to say is… I didn't… I didn't really hate you, I just…"

Ghirahim did a double-take at that statement and shook his head slowly, a baffled expression on his face. He pulled Shai over to a nearby boulder and sat him down, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Shai, what's wrong? Are you upset about something?" he asked, seating himself beside the boy.

"I'm… I was just worried that maybe you thought… I had abandoned you that day."

Ghirahim stared for a moment, and then he slowly turned to stare out at the sky. There was a long silence between them, punctuated by a few chirping birds and the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. Shai stared into his lap, twiddling his thumbs and trying not to cry. Ghirahim continued to stare out at the blue wonder and then quietly slipped his hand into Shai's, squeezing the boy's fingers between his own. Shai raised his gaze, and Ghirahim turned back to him.

"I felt betrayed that day, yes. But part of me was too insane to care. You should've seen me..." Ghirahim sighed, shaking his head.

Shai's heart began pounding in his chest, and he swallowed hard, eyes boring into the grass. "I did."

Ghirahim's head snapped up, surprise written on his face. "You did? How?"

Shai wrapped his arms around himself and drew his knees up to his chest, Ghirahim's hand still clasped in his. "I ran. I couldn't teleport very far, so I just decided to run. I got there… shortly before he landed the final blow."

Ghirahim's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "From Axialis to the Sealed Grounds?"

Shai nodded solemnly, tears springing up in his eyes. "But… But it wasn't good enough. I was so close… _so _close. I was just ten feet away, you were right there!" Shai suddenly got to his feet, landing a sharp kick to the boulder Ghirahim was perched on. "But I still couldn't do it. When it came down to it, I—I couldn't be there for you Master, I—" He shook his head, slumping to the earth sending a fist into the grass as he whispered through enraged tears. "I was too weak…"

Ghirahim watched him for a few moments, and then he slowly lowered himself to the grass and picked a few blades. Finding the biggest one, he placed it between his thumbs and held it up to his mouth. Leaning towards Shai, he blew hard, and a loud 'Quack!' sounded through the air.

Shai pushed him away, glaring in the opposite direction. Ghirahim crawled to his other side and repeated the action, a childish grin on his face. Shai let his lips form a small smile, and slowly, a giggle escaped. Then another, as Ghirahim made the odd noise again, and another, and another. Finally, the two were laying side by side in the grass, and Ghirahim was propped up on one elbow so he could see down into Shai's face.

"Shai, you are not weak. You never have been. Physically, you were never a brute or anything close, but emotionally and mentally, you could withstand… so much pain and difficulty. Some days it blew my mind, and some days…" Ghirahim lowered his voice, the next sentence a painful reminder of his mistakes. "Some days, I forgot you were just a child. I treated you too much like an adult; I put too much on your plate. You've never been a whiner, and you've always managed to take care of yourself when no one else would. If anything… You took care of me most of the time." He smiled a little, and Shai brightened, tossing him a quirky grin.

"You can't even make tea."

Ghirahim chuckled. "That, I cannot." Running his fingers through his hair, he sighed, gazing into the sky for a few minutes before lowering his line of vision to his slave. "I can't believe you ran all the way… for someone who treated you like trash. I thought for sure…"

Shai shifted slightly, trying to come up with the words he wanted to say. "I can't explain it. You're my master. You always have been, and no matter what, it's my duty to serve you. I didn't really make a conscious decision to come after you. It was just… the thing to do. I wanted you safe—I wanted you home. And I did whatever I could to make sure it happened."

Ghirahim nodded, and there was another round of silence when suddenly, Ghirahim jumped to his feet.

"Alright, enough of that. Let's get back to travelling." He held out his hand, pulling Shai to his feet and snaking an arm around his waist. "We're going to Lanayru why?"

Shai put his arm around his master and explained his theory. "We need to get back to Axialis, and not only is Lanayru the only province that is connected to Axialis by road rather than jagged mountain, but it's also warm enough that your wounds won't freeze shut, which I believe they will do if we go straight to Axialis."

Ghirahim nodded, rubbing his chin. "Yes, that makes sense."

Shai continued as they passed over the rise that separated Faron from Eldin. "Also, Lanayru is where you spent the least of your time during your journey to revive your master, so that is where Green Link will, hopefully, not expect us to be."

Ghirahim smirked, tousling his charge's hair. "I knew I raised you right. My little schemer." Shai laughed, and Ghirahim returned his hair to its usual smoothness. "I have to know… why did they trust you? You were my servant all those years, and even though you turned human when I left…"

Shai rubbed the back of his neck and let out a soft chuckle. "They kinda thought I had amnesia."

Ghirahim's jaw hit his chest, and he gaped at Shai for a while before recovering. "What?" He laughed, throwing his head back. "How?"

"Well, when I woke up…"

* * *

><p>Link tipped his glass back, taking a long drink of water before dipping it back into the spring and pulling it up again to drink more. He was almost ready to go back to Skyloft, but the water here was so refreshing and made him want to stay.<p>

Getting to his feet, he stretched his arms up over his head and grabbed his hips, giving his back a good twist to crack all the kinks out before walking over the nearby bird statue. He activated it and shot through the cloud barrier, letting out a loud whistle as he began to fall.

He waited a few moments, but nothing happened. He whistled again, panic starting to build in his chest, swelling like a wave as it moved towards his throat. He whistled again and again, but his Crimson was nowhere in sight.

Woosh!

A blur of brown feathers passed under him, and he was grabbed by something and yanked forwards onto the animal's back. Karane grinned over her shoulder and gave him a two-finger salute, to which he responded with a shocked expression.

"Uh, thanks! But where is my Loftwing?" he shouted over the rush of the wind.

She held up one finger and urged her Loftwing on, reaching Skyloft in record time. She landed on the platform and then led her bird to a nearby shed, putting him in the closing the door with a muttered, "Sorry, boy."

Link frowned at the locking up of the bird and turned to look out at the sky, horrified to find it completely empty. "Where are all the Loftwings?"

"Over two-thirds of them have disappeared," Karane said sadly. "We have to lock the rest up so they don't vanish, too, but they seem so restless. They hate not being able to fly."

"Are they here on the island? Where have we looked? Where do we need to look?"

Karane shook her head, shoulders drooping. "We've searched everywhere. From the platform you're standing on to the platform where the bridge to the goddess statue once was. There's nothing here."

"Have you checked beneath Skyloft?" Link asked hurriedly, though he already had an idea of what had happened to the creatures.

"Those of us who still have Loftwings have checked, but nothing is down there."

Link growled, whipping his hand through his hair and shoving his hat down on his head. "I don't believe this… I need a Loftwing. I'm going to go check something."

"You can use mine. I'll drop you off in Faron, is that okay?"

Link stopped and thought for a moment. "Actually, take me to Eldin. I think our culprit is there."

Karane didn't object and released her bird, jumping off the edge and calling him. He swooped down under her, and seconds later, Link jumped. She caught him on the beast's back, and they two made their way towards the large beam of ruby light.

Letting out a soft chuckle, Link shouted over the wind. "I'm not gonna make Pipit jealous by riding all around the sky with you, am I?"

Karane laughed back, knowing her boyfriend was extremely protective and could get a little jealous at times. "Probably! But he won't care _too _much!"

Link smiled, shaking his head.

After a few minutes, they were soaring in a circle over the hole. Link took a deep breath, timed the jump, and leapt from the back of the Loftwing, arms spread wide as he started the descent into the volcanic land.

"Be careful and good luck!"

Karane's voice was almost lost in the wind, but Link got the basic message.

_Thanks. I'm going to need it._

* * *

><p>"Wheeeee doggies! It's hot out here!"<p>

Ghirahim chuckled at Shai's statement, and then frowned, scratching his chin as he walked along, now able to support himself. "What's a doggie?"

Shai stopped, tapping his forehead. "Um… I don't actually know."

Ghirahim rolled his eyes, and the two continued through the parched, dead land of Lanayru. "It's better than Eldin, is it not? Compared to that sauna, this is a cool spring afternoon."

Shai didn't even attempt to look at it that way. "Compared to Axialis—it's an oven."

Ghirahim laughed, and then stumbled a little bit, coughing into his fist. Shai gave him a concerned look, but Ghirahim waved it off, saying, "It's nothing but a little sand and dust. I'm fine."

Shai didn't reply, but it was obvious that Ghirahim's lie was detected. They went a few miles in silence, just listening to the quiet around them and enjoying it, and then suddenly, Shai let out a wistful sigh. Ghirahim turned his head towards the boy, but he didn't seem in anyway upset. Just… longing for something.

"What's on your mind?"

Shai smiled slightly, motioning to the barren land around him. "I was just thinking… I've always wanted to try using my magic to strike all of the timeshift stones at once and see what would happen."

Ghirahim looked at the landscape, dead and all one color except for the sky. It would be nice to see this wild terrain in its heyday. And Shai wanted it, too… Ghirahim really _did _owe him one. Or one thousand.

"Come on!" Ghirahim grasped his wrist and started running towards the very center of the endless expanse. "We're going to stand back to back and sync our magic! If we send our power in different directions, it will hit more forcefully, and all of the stones should be surrounded and hit in one instant."

Shai laughed as they ran along, and Ghirahim reveled in the sound, having forgotten how much he truly enjoyed it.

Coming to a stop on top of the temple that once held the flame of Nayru, he balanced himself and turned towards the temple of time. Shai pressed himself against his master's back and faced the opposite direction.

"Alright. I'm going to sync our magic, so if you feel a sort of… pulling in your chest, don't fight it."

Shai nodded, and moments later the two were mentally connected. Ghirahim raised his fingers to snap, and Shai did the same. Taking a deep breath, they waited, as if counting down simultaneously in their heads.

They snapped.

Sienna diamonds and sparks flashed across the land before Ghirahim, and spades the color of aged wine spiraled through silver smoke before Shai. The land went very dark for one moment, seeming to be night in comparison to the supernatural glow emanating from the beams, and then all at once exploded in color.

Green grass and cobblestone paths where busy robots bustled about, bodies and tools coursing with electricity, colorful statues and dials and meters everywhere. It was a beautiful display of color, all hues and varieties. The land was truly alive, and it was here to stay.

Shai laughed jumping down from the high place and tumbling into the grass, arms spread wide and smile showing his fangs as he breathed in the smell of the renewed and glorious world around him.

Ghirahim lowered himself to a nearby wall and perched there, chin resting on his hand as he gazed fondly at his slave, a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth. He could get used to this. Really, he could.

"Master, this is…"

"Fabulous?" Ghirahim smirked, a little proud of his accomplishment.

"Yes. It is. It's gorgeous." Shai jumped up as a Blessed Butterfly passed over his head, and he quickly crawled towards it, a soft giggle sounding from his throat.

"Shai, you shouldn't do that," said Ghirahim seriously, leaving his roost and walking behind his servant.

"Why not, Master?"

Ghirahim grinned, swooping down and whisking Shai off of his feet, spinning him around and pulling him close. "You remember what happened last time. You got kidnapped!" He nuzzled his face into the warm neck, sighing in pure happiness as Shai twisted his head around to give him a peck on the cheek.

"It was the best thing that ever happened to me, Master. Nobody back home loves me the way you do, and they don't… they don't even try." Shai seemed sad for a moment, and then stared back up at Ghirahim, a sparkle alight in his eyes. "But you, Master…"

Ghirahim put him down and they started walking again. "What about me?"

"You have always taken care of me, and never once did you mock me for following an order. You were always… appreciative of what I did, and… It was just wonderful. It still is."

Ghirahim made a face, looking at Shai. "Who makes fun of you for following orders?"

Shai blushed lightly, turning to look the other way. "Some of the boys did. They said I was a pushover because I always did what I was told without asking questions."

Ghirahim scoffed, flicking his hair. "That's ridiculous. That's what _any_ good child should do. If they don't, they're hooligans and idiots."

Shai laughed lightly at that, but the somber face returned. "No one ever seemed to appreciate anything I did for them. I once cleaned the entire house for mother, and she sort of glanced at me and said, 'Thanks, that was nice of you.'"

Ghirahim gaped. "You're serious?" Then he let out a bitter laugh. "And they think I'm the evil one. Honestly, child, you're remarkable, and you should know that. To do something that magnificent without even having to be asked. Most children can't even gather their own laundry these days." Ghirahim patted his head. "Don't listen to a word they say."

Shai nodded, his carefree attitude returning. After a few more moments of silence, Ghirahim shook his head.

"You know, I can't help but think there's a reason I haven't resurrected this land before. What was it…?"

A loud roar rang out over all of Lanayru, and Shai's head snapped towards his master, eyes wide.

"We forgot the Thunder Dragon!"

Ghirahim drove his palm to his forehead and muttered under his breath. Regaining his composure, he ran towards the Temple of Time.

"He wouldn't dare defile that place with our blood. If we can make it to there, we should be safe!"

"I can get you there fast, brzzt!"

Ghirahim and Shai both skidded to a stop and turned to see a small robot standing there with a mine cart under his control. Ghirahim noted curiously that his electric was burnt orange—not blue, as all the others' were.

"Um, if you can, that would be wonderful," he said somewhat awkwardly. "Pardon me, but do I know you…?"

The robot smiled up at him. "You spared me when you attacked Master Thunder Dragon. Don't get me wrong, bzzzat, I'm very upset with you about that, but you did save my life, so I have to repay you somehow."

"Oh…" Ghirahim helped Shai into the cart first, and then got in himself. "Thank you, uh… name?"

"Zp-Char-13, zrrt!"

"May I call you Char?"

Char nodded his robotic little head and began to power up the cart.

"Well, thank you, Char, for your assistance."

"Yeah, thanks!" Shai piped up, examining the cart with fascination, as he had never been in anything like it before.

"Bzzzt, I will take you to the temple, but from there, you will have to fend for yourself. Alright?"

Ghirahim nodded, somewhat puzzled at the robots behavior. "Understood."

The cart started moving, and Ghirahim sat down, so as not to lose his balance.

"Hang on!"

* * *

><p>Link let out a heavy sigh, frustrated at not finding Ghirahim where he had expected. That meant hours of searching and talking to strangers and thinking and who knew what else in order to determine where the demon lord was.<p>

Link paused for a brief moment, wondering if this was at all how Ghirahim had felt some days as he searched for Zelda and attempted to keep an eye on Link simultaneously. Then he shook his head. Ghirahim had hundreds of bokoblins and demon followers running around to do all that hard work for him. All he had to do was sit and wait for word on how it was going.

Fi's voice suddenly rang out from his blade. "Master, there is a 99% chance you should sit on the ground lest you get knocked over by shock waves and fall off of the cliff."

Link made a face, tilting his head towards her. "Wha—AH!" Link jerked forwards as the land bucked beneath him, and he tumbled to the ground, laying down and covering his head as rocks and boulders fell around him, crumbling apart as they hit the hot earth.

"What's going on?!"

"Master, there is a 100% chance you should stop asking questions and run!"

Link barely noticed that this was the first time Fi had ever raised her voice at him, and instead, took her advice and started making his way down the volcano. He had only made it halfway up in the first place, but with all this shaking and rocking, it was next to impossible to stay standing.

"Woah!"

Link dodged a massive chunk of slate falling from the sky and ran towards the entrance to the next room over. He growled in frustration at the sight of the bridge that passed over the endless chasm. One violent shake, one missed step, one slip, and he was a goner.

"Fi, is there any other way to get around this?"

Before his companion could answer, a boulder landed solidly behind Link, sending him flying forwards and sprawling over the edge. He grasped the platform above and swung haphazardly for a while, dangling over the void. He looked down—and instantly snapped his head back up.

_Don't look down… Don't look down… It's just like falling from a Loftwing…. Except you die… Don't look down._

Taking a deep breath, he hoisted himself up onto the bridge and crawled as quickly as he could to… well, he couldn't exactly call it safety, but it was better than the Pit of Doom. Shaking his head, he muttered under his breath. "I guess one could call it an Endless Plunge."

Another quake shook the ground and Link turned on his heel running down the path and stopping at the bird statue. He reached out to activate it, and then came to an abrupt halt.

_No Loftwings!_

Taking off again, he started to make his way out of Eldin and travel by land towards the Lanayru Desert.

* * *

><p>A sigh of relief passed between Link's lips as he finally reached the peak of the rise connecting Eldin to Lanayru. He wiped his hand over his brow and looked out over the molten land, shaking his head at the ruptures and columns of lava.<p>

_What on Surface would have caused something like that?_

Link shook his head. He could help the inhabitants when everything cooled down, do some rebuilding to make sure they got back on their feet, and then do a thorough investigation so hopefully it wouldn't happen again. But right now, he had a demon to find.

He turned towards Lanayru, prepared to take the arduous trek over the quicksand and rocks, but froze when his eyes met lush green grass and clear paths.

"What… is this?"

Taking a few tentative steps just to be certain it wasn't an illusion, he made his way towards the part of Lanayru that held the temple where he had received the flame for his blade so long ago.

He looked around at the buzzing activity of the robots and stared in wonder at the precious gems, clanking machinery, and life of all forms surrounding him.

"Hey, you!" He stopped a robot and ran over to him, motioning to this unnatural landscape with wild hands. "What happened here?"

The robot let out a confused chirp. "What do you mean, bzzat?"

Link inwardly groaned as he remembered the robots were not conscious of time passing when they were shut down, and they assumed they had been active all this time.

"Uh… nothing in particular, it just seems a lot more festive."

The robot smiled—that is, if robots were capably of such facial features—and let out a joyous whir. "Haven't you heard yet? Master Thunder Dragon is healthy again!"

Link smiled big, though he had known for years the dragon was in optimum condition. "That's fantastic!" he exclaimed. "Thanks for the info. I should go congratulate him!"

With that, he waved to the small being and made his way through the glorious new world, searching for any sign of where his miracle had come from.

A loud roar rang over Lanayru, and he whirled around just as the Thunder Dragon flew overhead, headed straight for the Temple of Time.

"Thunder Dragon! Thunder Dragon!" Link called, chasing after him.

The golden reptile stopped and lowered himself, his face showing how furious he was.

"What's wrong?" Link asked.

"That white devil is in my Temple of Time, and I'll have none of it! Not to mention the injuries he inflicted on me previously. Justice must be carried out!" he bellowed, and Link's eyes narrowed into slits.

_So he's here…_

"Let me take care of him, sir. If you could fly me over there, I'll drag him out of the temple and finish him off."

The Thunder Dragon seemed to be alright with that, and after a moment of consideration, he picked the young skychild up and carried him across the now thriving chasm to the Temple of Time, which no longer had a collapsed gate.

Link gave a quick wave and dashed into the temple, marveling at the stained glass around him. There was a fountain in the center, and some sort of translucent film over the abyss on either side of the stone crossing.

_So this is what the Temple of Time once looked like…_

"Master, watch this!"

"Alright, I'm watching!"

Link gasped and hid himself behind the bird statue, watching as Shai leapt from one glass chandelier to the next, doing spectacular gymnastics as he traversed between each swinging light.

"Be careful, you don't want to break any of them," Ghirahim ordered, watching the boy closely.

"I won't, Master!"

Link stood up slowly and made his way towards Ghirahim, wondering what he should do next. On one hand, he had this new side of the demon to consider before attacking. But on the other, there were missing Loftwings, a ruptured Eldin, and a furious Thunder Dragon.

"Ghirahim!" he barked out.

Ghirahim whirled around, and Shai let out a shout, slipping from the lighting as he fell towards the ground, teleporting to soften his fall. Ghirahim quickly helped Shai to his feet, as he had fallen relatively close to where Ghirahim stood.

"What do you want?" Ghirahim snarled, putting an arm out to keep Shai and Link away from each other.

"I want to know where our Loftwings are."  
>Ghirahim gave him an odd look, turned to stare at Shai, and then faced forward again. "What?"<p>

Link was slightly confused at the reply but repeated himself. "What have you done with all of our Loftwings?"

"Skychild, if this is a game—"

"Don't play dumb with me!" Link cut him off, approaching Ghirahim with his sword at the ready. "Fine, if you won't answer that, at least tell me what you did to Eldin."

This just seemed to confuse Ghirahim more. "What do you mean?"

"Why is it erupting and shaking?"

Ghirahim cocked his head to one side. "Eldin erupted?"

Link growled, thoroughly aggravated by the lack of cooperation. "Will you at _least _tell me what you did to tick off the Thunder Dragon?"

Ghirahim flicked his head to move his hair, a slight smirk on his face. "Now that, I can answer. I injured him fatally the last time we crossed paths, as I'm sure you remember, and I don't think he wants me in this land."

Link shook his head. "That's it?"  
>Ghirahim sighed, lowering the arm that was protecting Shai. "Of course that's it. Could I honestly do massive damage like that in this current condition?"<p>

Link frowned, but straightened up from his slightly crouched, ready to attack position. "No… I guess not." Awkwardly, he raised his hand to his neck and rubbed it slightly. "I guess, I, uh, apologize for… uh, accusing you."

Ghirahim scoffed at him, bitter tones seeping into his voice. "I noticed you didn't accuse me of bringing this land back to life, which was my doing! Along with Shai, of course. Did you even have any facts for those accusations you just made?"

"Master, calm down," said Shai softly.

Link blushed slightly, wondering how he had ended up being the bad guy in this scenario. "Look, I'll just leave now and, uh, I'll tell the Thunder Dragon to let you go, too."

Link turned to leave, but Ghirahim teleported in front of him, grabbing his arm harshly. "Oh, I don't think so! You are honestly trying to tell me that you had no evidence at all that it was me? You just assumed?"

Link stood his ground, not attempting to remove his arm, but staring intensely back into the furious onyx, calm lines drawing his face. "Ghirahim, it was an honest mistake. Let. Go."

"What? Let _go?" _Ghirahim let out a cruel laugh, shaking his head as white silk cascaded over his face. "You think you can come in here, accuse me of multiple felonies I didn't commit, and then just walk out with an 'oh, sorry'? Are you going to, by any chance, make a habit of this skychild? Am I going to be hunted every time something goes wrong in your life?"

Link tried to keep his poker face, thought it was hard with so many frantic thoughts running through his head. "Ghirahim, if you don't release my arm, I am going to attack you," he said steadily, fingers still tightly grasping the sapphire hilt.

Ghirahim glowered at him for a moment more, and then let go, disappearing in a shower of diamonds. Link rubbed the sore appendage, walking towards the exit. "You should both head to Axialis, and you need to _stay _there. Permanently."

A soft whimper echoed through the open space. "But… But Green Link! You can't _banish _us! This is home! The entire Surface world, not just Axialis!"

Link bowed his head, trying not to picture the broken-hearted demon child in his mind. He wouldn't be able to keep his composure if he did.

"I'm sorry, Shai. You and your master have made lot of trouble in this land, and—"

White sparks exploded over Link's vision, followed by blacks splotches as his head made contact with the ground.

"Master!"

"Banish _us, _will you?"

"Master, why would you—"

The black seeped to the edges of his vision and the voices faded as he left the world of the conscious.

* * *

><p>Ghirahim rubbed his sore fist, growling at the fallen skychild. "Banish <em>us,<em> will you?"

"Master, why would you do that? Now he _really _won't trust us!"

Ghirahim whirled on the young boy, fury burning in his irises. "I will _not _lose my home because some overnight hero likes to play the blame game! Just because he beat me once, he thinks he can walk all over me? I am _still _the demon lord, and this is still _my _land!"

Ghirahim panted for a few moments, slightly out of breath at the sudden exertion combined with his injuries. Slowly, the anger subsided, and at Shai's shocked expression, Ghirahim found himself calm enough to speak rationally.

"I'm sorry, Shai, I didn't mean to lose my temper."

"It's alright, but… Master, you really can't blame him."

"And why not?" Ghirahim asked, snapping slightly, but restraining his tongue.

"After everything we've done to him, it makes sense that he would assume it was us," Shai said softly, and while Ghirahim knew there was truth in the words, he couldn't bring himself to admit it.

"So? He had no proof!" If there was one thing he hated more than lying, it was false accusations. Ghirahim was a thinker. He speculated, and studied, and observed, and considered, and theorized until there was no doubt in his mind he had the right answer. To just assume someone was doing something based on past actions… it was something he couldn't understand.

Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I cannot allow Link to return to Skyloft. At least not yet."

Shai frowned, glancing down into the blackness below, a melancholy tenor in his voice. "You want to torture him, don't you?"

Ghirahim sighed and growled in unison, knowing Shai was not going to like his answer. "Yes, and I'm going to."

"Why?"

It was a simple question, really, but Ghirahim found himself struggling to answer. "I can't really explain it, Shai. It's like… a longing. Almost a lust. It's inside of me to just… _want _to view pain—especially _his _pain."

There was a round of silence as Shai chewed on that, and Ghirahim turned to look at Link, who was sprawled on the ground. A deep, reverberating feeling was forming at his very core. The blood trickling down Link's temple was the cause of that, Ghirahim knew. He remembered this feeling from Eldin. The pure satisfaction of seeing the one he hated most sprawled out in a pool of his own blood begging for mercy.

Ghirahim slowly turned to his slave and stepped away from the limp form. "Shai, if you don't want me to…" He inhaled slowly, steadying himself. "I promised you things would change. If you _really _don't want me to."

Shai was quiet for a very long time, and then he turned bright eyes to his master and smiled. "We can take him, but… please don't hurt him too badly."

Ghirahim's eyes widened at the reply, and he nodded dumbly, shocked that Shai would actually allow him to harm the precious 'Green Link'. Then he realized it was probably only because Shai wanted to see his master happy, and that thought made Ghirahim all the more determined to keep his sadism in check.

"Alright, let's get going, then. I can feel my magic returning, and I don't know about you, but the thought of tea in my old bedroom is truly invigorating."

Shai laughed as Ghirahim lifted Link's body from the floor. "That thought fills my heart with rainbows, Master."

Ghirahim sighed, hanging his head. "I'm never living that down, am I?"

Shai chuckled, shaking his head. "Nope."

Ghirahim nodded, pursing his lips. "I'm surprisingly okay with that." Ghirahim threw an arm around Shai and hoisted Link a little higher on his shoulder. All at once, the two demons snapped, leaving behind the renewed land of Lanayru, but even as Ghirahim felt the pull of teleportation drag them both back home, he could feel his anger burning in his chest. To not go overboard on this… wretched brat… would be a challenge indeed.

And perhaps a challenge he had no desire to accept.

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: Buahahahahahaha, Ghirahim you so bad. By the way, I DO know that he is acting very bi-polar right now, and that will be explained either in the next chapter or the one after. (See? This is why I need to outline... *facedesk*) But there is a reason for that. SO.<strong>

**I hope you all enjoyed, and if you did, please review this chapter! I normally *blushes* I normally don't set goals for reviews, but Rainbows was SO CLOSE to 100. It didn't make it, and that kinda bummed me so... if... if I could get 100 reviews by the end of this story, it would really make my day! ^^ But don't like go back and comment on other chapters you previously didn't comment on. It's okay! There will be many more chapters. I have a feeling this story will be longer than Rainbows was because of more plot twists.**

**Anyways, thank you all for reading!  
><strong>


	7. Another Twist in the Road

**A\N: So, it seems I should not have used the word 'torture' in a spoiler for the last story. 'Unfair battling' or 'abuse' would have suited these situations better, of course there is a torture _flashback_ and some mental stuff going on so... I don't know. Take it or leave it! Please don't think, however, that we are going to dawdle in torture for the next five chapters. Link's imprisonment was essential to plot, and why would Ghirahim capture link other than to torture him?**

**I think that's all I have to say, so Enjoy and I don't own this!**

**OOHHHHHHHH YES I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. XD 43 reviews? That's awesome of you guys. You are so great. XD XD XD come chapter... eight, I think. I will be doing thanks again! XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD MENTIONS FTW! XD**

* * *

><p>Link's eyes fluttered slightly and then opened, pain searing through his head as he tilted it one way and then the next. It was dark and cold, wherever he was. Nighttime in Lanayru, maybe? No… No, that would have been dark and hot. In fact… nowhere on the Surface or in the Sky was it cold except…<p>

Link's eyes snapped up, and he jerked into a sitting position, instantly regretting it because of the agony piercing his skull.

"Oh, snap…"

Link looked around, scanning the area in both apprehension and curiosity. He had never actually been inside the demon's home, and even though this place appeared to be a dungeon, it was an unexplored area, and this made him curious.

Slowly getting to his feet, he began to walk, looking around at the shackles and skeletons and the occasional head. It was a gruesome sight to be sure, but Link wasn't focusing on that. His curiosity was thoroughly piqued at the moment.

_There are chains everywhere… so why am I walking free?_

That question was soon answered as Link discovered he was not in one room, but rather an entire labyrinth that was most likely located beneath Ghirahim's castle.

"Why not just one cell?"

"It makes you more fun to play with."

Link jumped slightly, turning around at the unfamiliar voices, hand on the hilt of his sword. Staring into the darkness, he saw two pairs of eyes leering at him. The voices came again, the perfect unison of two males.

"Lord Ghirahim says you've been frustrating him. Is this true?"

Link tilted his head to one side, utterly confused. "Who are you? Where's Ghirahim?"

"Lord Ghirahim is busy right now, Link, but he asked us to keep you company."

Link felt a small tingle go down his spine as a small portion of doubt made its roost in his mind. _Can I take two demons at once? How many more are there? Can I defeat them all, or will I lose? Wait—What am I thinking? Of course I can do it! …Maybe. No, I _can_. What is going on?!_

"Don't you like my game?" This was a distinct voice, not a combination, and a young boy with fiery red hair stepped out from the shadows. Burning, bloodred eyes peered at him from beneath black lids. The child dressed much like Ghirahim and Shai did—tight clothing, bejeweled skin, and tattoos of suns over his eyes.

"What game?" Link asked, drawing his sword and targeting the boy as he walked backwards a ways, trying to draw the enemy out into the dim light where he could see him better.

"My name is Tovi."

Link racked his brain for the meaning of the name, and then raised his gaze slowly. "Doubt?"

Tovi smirked at him, bloodied fangs hanging over his lip. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."

Link nodded. This was definitely a demon who received his gratification by making others doubt themselves or their surroundings.

"Who's your friend?" Link asked, nodding towards the piercing white eyes still hiding in the shadows.

The demon in question, who was head to toe white like ice itself, stepped out into the fading torchlight and bowed slightly. "My name is Coryai."

Link once again strained to call up the meaning of the name, and then said, "Fear."

Another fanged grin, and the two approached, licking their lips hungrily as though they were animals not fed in days. Link brandished his weapon, standing his ground as they got closer, though a panicky feeling was forming in his stomach.

_There has to be a way to block their powers. There _has _to be! Unless… Unless I'm just going to die here and—seriously?!_

Link jumped up and drove the Master's Sword down at Tovi's shoulder, clipping the skin and earning a pained yelp from the young being. Not missing a beat, he turned his blade around and smacked the demon upside the head with the flat of the steel.

Coryai pulled a sword from midair and swung it outward, catching Link underneath the arm. Thankfully, Ghirahim had not removed his chainmail while he was unconscious, and no blood was drawn.

Whirling around, he met Coryai halfway across the floor and sliced his chest open, blood splashing to cracked cement. Coryai hissed, but didn't back away, and instead thrust his blade into Link's hip. Link bit back a cry and stumbled slightly, ripping the weapon out and sending it flying at the attacker, while whirling around to stop the recently recovered Tovi mid-swing.

"So, you two serve Ghirahim, I take it?"

"Everyone in this land serves Lord Ghriahim," they said. Standing shoulder to shoulder and raising their weapons.

"And you never question him?"

They smirked, throwing their heads back and laughing loudly, their voices echoing through the tunnels. "Doubting is the job of a human."

Link rolled his eyes. "Fantastic." He gasped as a sudden shudder ran through his body, doubling him over from the force with which he shook. _I'm scared... _Straightening up, he aimed his blade for the paler one's heart.

_I have to get rid of him first. Fear is debilitating. Doubt is not. …Right? Right, doubt is just annoying so _shut up!_ Stupid voices in my head…_

Link rushed Coryai, the saber sinking deep through the demons chest. Letting out a scream, the being fell, and disappeared in a cloud of diamonds moments later. Link stared in shock. Did demons turn into diamonds when they died, sort of like the monsters turned to ash? Or was there something else going on?

"Ah!" Link stumbled forward, grasping his lacerated shoulder as blood dripped through his fingers.

"You should not have done that, Link. Now I have to get cross with you."

Link whirled around, slightly alarmed at the burning anger in Tovi's eyes. "If he didn't want to get hurt, he shouldn't have attacked me."

Tovi didn't listen, or perhaps didn't hear, and lunged at Link, swinging wildly in blind rage. Link dodged most of the attacks, and the others were so erratic they caused minimal damage, but getting a chance to return fire proved to be next to impossible. He would counter, block, jump, dodge, counter again, but not once was he able to land a blow of his own.

All at once, the young demon lunged, letting out a fierce cry as he swung his blade down.

The world exploded in lights, and Link sank to his knees, Tovi's sword embedded in his chest, blood gushing from the wound like water from a geyser as everything began to go numb. Link's head hit the ground, and he let out a soft groan, weakly taking the hilt of the True Master's Sword in his hand. He heard a solid footstep, and a bright red boot entered his visual range.

"If it wasn't for the fact that Lord Ghirahim ordered me not to kill you…" A low growl reverberated through the chamber. "Well, let's just say Hylia would be one hero short."

Link said nothing, panting on the ground as his lifeblood seeped between the cracks, a light smirk playing at his mouth. "What… what does… a demon like you… care… anyways? He was… just another pawn…"

Tovi scoffed, a sharp kick driving into Link's side. "We're evil, not void of emotion, stupid."

Link's eyes fluttered, and then closed, ears open and listening for the right moment. He heard a footstep and cracked one eye open. He saw the boy turned around and moving towards the darkness. Gathering all of his strength, he whipped his hand forward and clasped his fingers around Tovi's ankle, giving it a firm tug and sending the boy sprawling to the ground. Leaping up, Link jumped on top of the fallen adversary and held his sword in the air, two helpless arms tucked under his knees.

He hesitated, loathing the feeling of how small Tovi was beneath him. It had been obvious when the two had first walked out that they were young, but…

"How old are you?"

"What?!"

Link poked his blade into the child's back. "You heard me."

"I'm… sixteen."

Link shook his head, pressing a little harder. "You are _not _sixteen."

Tovi refused to respond, and that left Link with the tedious job of guessing. "Thirteen, maybe? Fourteen at most."

Tovi growled low, though a shudder traveled down his spine.

"What are you doing here? Why are you working for him?"

"Because he's our leader! Why _else _would I do it? Now get off me!"

"Now, hold on, I'm not done yet—"

But he was speaking to thin air.

Tovi had done what the demon before him had, and a veil of diamonds now floated around Link, dusting the ground in glitter and smoke.

_What the heck is going on?_

"Oh, skychild, you've been so mean to my servants. What did they ever do to you?"

Link jumped up and turned towards Ghirahim's voice, but stumbled and fell forwards, the blood loss reaching his brain and darkening his vision. "They attacked. Why did you send them down here anyways?"

Ghirahim chuckled, seating himself on a nearby ledge and peering down at the young hero. "Why, to make our game more fun, of course! If you're already injured when I get down here, there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Link glowered at him, slowly pushing himself up on his hands and knees, maintaining consciousness surprisingly well. "You really think I'm not going to banish you after this?"

Ghirahim glared at him, letting out a bitter laugh—if it could even be classified under that word—slowly crawling down from his perch and approaching Link with nothing but hate and malice in his eyes. "Oh, don't patronize me, skychild!"

Link's head snapped to the side as a hefty slap was delivered to his right cheek, but he turned his head back almost right away to meet those charcoal eyes with determination.

"You never even _considered _it! How can you listen to an innocent child like Shai beg you not to take him away from his home, and not even _think _about it?!" Ghirahim landed a sharp kick, and Link tumbled over into the closest wall, head smacking against a rock.

"If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black," Link grunted, grasping his head in agony.

"I'm a demon. You're a human. And that was years ago!" Ghirahim snarled, grabbing him by the hair and lifting him from the dirt-caked floors. "You have absolutely no excuse for what you did."

Another sting spread across his cheek, this time the left one, and he flinched, grabbing Ghirahim's wrist in an attempt to alleviate the pain. "You kidnapped Zelda, tried to bring back a master that would destroy the world, you tortured me, you attacked Skyloft, you injured all of my friends, and under your command, monsters took over _everything_! What else am I supposed to let you do before I decide I've had enough?"

Ghirahim blinked at the long train of accusations, but as soon as he got over the initial shock, he had a retort all ready to go. "And that wasn't paid for by doing nothing but sitting in small circle not even big enough to lie down in while thinking and twiddling my thumbs for nearly two years?"

"Two years? Two years?! How many years was the Surface enslaved? How many years were you trying to bring back your master? All that death? The destruction? You think two _lousy _years can make up for that?!" Link was shocked that Ghirahim hadn't silenced him yet, but from the very beginning this was going like no other torture session the two had experienced.

Ghirahim let out a shout of frustration, releasing Link's blonde locks to throw his hands in the air, screaming at the top of his lungs, "_Why_ can't you extract vengeance like a _normal _human?! Hmm?! Just what is it about you that is so intent on _making my life impossible?!"_

Link opened his mouth to respond, but stopped, not quite knowing what to say to that. Ghirahim panted, literally shaking with fury, and Link took a step back, waiting for the sword or whip or chain to appear.

But none did.

Ghirahim just growled at him and threw his hand forwards for one last smack across the face. It was hard enough to send Link to the ground, yes, but it wasn't what the hero had been expecting.

Snap.

Ah, there it was. The gleaming black sword with the ruby embedded in the hilt. This is what was to be expected, and—what?

Ghirahim turned the blade around and swung it out, smacking Link's head with the hilt, sending the skychild once again to the floor. He snapped again, and the rapier was gone, replaced by a dark chain connected to Link's ankle.

"I wouldn't suggest leaving this area. I may be taking a break, but there are many more demons down here who would love to have a piece of you. Stay here, and they'll leave you alone. Start wandering, and they'll be tempted to bite."

Ghirahim snapped his fingers, and just like that, he was gone. It was over. That was a session?

Link stared, wondering if all of the blows to his head had caused an illusion. That Ghirahim had yet to come down, and Link was just stumbling blindly around while hallucinating. Raising his hand to his face, he felt the handprint where a bruise was surely forming.

"What…?"

Link tried to think back to the last time he was at Ghirahim's mercy, painful though it was, and it didn't take very long to see there was a big difference. It was staggering, actually.

_Link's forced himself to open his eyes when the door to his cell slammed, visibly shuddering at Ghirahim's sing-song voice._

"_Oh, skyyychiiiild! Look what I brought you!"_

_Link glanced up at the ivory demon, a weary and lost look in his eyes. That look was replaced by confusion and curiosity when he saw a bottle filled with iridescent purple liquid._

"_What…?" _

_He was still groggy from the night before, and nothing was registering in his mind at the moment. Ghirahim just smiled at him and knelt down, snapping a chain around Link's wrists. The chain pulled them upwards and connected them to the wall at his head, completely disabling his arms—not that they were much good, anyways. Fractures tended to do that._

"_I'm sure you remember last night, and since I figured that brand would be getting infected from all that dirt right about now, I brought down a little something to clean it out."_

_Link groaned, his head falling against the dirt as the cork squeaked. Ghirahim set the bottle down and reached for Link's pants, slipping them down to his knees and causing a wild blush to illuminate the boy's face._

"_Oh, don't worry! I won't peeksy! I know you and your promiscuous assumptions."_

_Link squirmed to get his tunic to fall over his lower half, and Ghirahim chuckled, pulling it down for him as he picked up the bottle. "You know, Link, jelly blobs are base substances. However, if you add the wings of a Blessed Butterfly and enough crushed up evil crystals, you arrive at a beautifully acidic mixture."_

_Link swallowed, his throat somehow managing to seem drier than it already was as the hiss of the concoction filled his ears. Ghirahim traced delicate fingers over the brand in his thigh and raised the bottle high above it. "Now, this will kill of all of those nasty germs for you. And you may be wondering how I know. Well…" He tossed a playful smirk at the horrified victim, tipping the bottle. "It killed everything else I poured it on."_

_And about that time, the screaming started._

Link shook his head, pressing a hand to the thigh. The ache had never truly gone away, and some nights it throbbed like it was fresh. Over time, Link had just accepted that this was something that was never going to go away, and he was going to have to deal with it.

"But what I don't understand is… where is that now? Why is Ghirahim acting so differently?"

But no matter how many angles he considered it from, and no matter how many flashbacks he went through, his answer was still the same:

He had absolutely no idea.

* * *

><p>Ghirahim dusted his hands off, strutting down the hall with a smile on his face. He was rather proud of his accomplishment below, and he knew Shai would be, too. After all, he was just seconds away from sending that saber through Link's bratty little chest, but he stopped himself. That showed that these feelings could be restrained, right? Of course right!<p>

Still… He didn't understand why he felt them. Yes, of course, he was a demon of sadism, he knew that much. It was a trait he received from his master, but why were they a constant? Something that he felt he couldn't live without?

"Did you finish him off, Master?"

Ghirahim turned slightly to see Coryai poke his head out of the room, one hand pressed tightly to his side, and he walked over to the young demon, leading him back to the bed and pushing him down.

"No, I did not. But that is none of your concern. You rest up, and Tovi!"

Tovi, who had fallen asleep in the bed over, jumped away, head snapping every which way. "Yes, what, oh! Master! M-my apologies!"

Ghirahim waved it off. "Please, keep an eye on your brother. He is much more injured than you, so try to stay awake at least for more than two seconds at a time, alright?"

Tovi blushed and nodded. "S-sorry, Master."

Ghirahim sighed, rolling his eyes, and walked out, leaving the two faithful followers to heal up.

Once again, he started out on his journey to please his favorite little boy, and it wasn't long before he was standing outside the demon's bedroom door, rapping on it with his knuckles. "Shai! I have something to tell you!" he said in his classic sing-song voice.

"Can it wait, Master? I'm in the middle of something!"

Ghirahim frowned, wondering what could possibly be more important than talking to Ghirahim, but he nodded his head and uttered a response. "Uh, sure. What… What are you doing?"

"Something important! Just trust me!"

Ghirahim sighed, shrugging his shoulders as a sense of disappointment set in. If there was anything Ghirahim had learned in his seven years of demon raising, it was that when Shai said 'trust me', Ghirahim could do exactly that and put his mind at ease.

_Maybe I should take a walk. Just to clear my head. _

Ghirahim teleported himself into new clothes and outside so he was standing in the ice garden in thick clothing to keep warm. Shoving a hand into his pocket, he moseyed along, admiring the work of those who had sculpted images into the never-melting ice of Axialis. The fresh snow dusted everything white and crunched under his feet when he walked.

Crunch. Like a bone when he crushed it.

Ghirahim felt a shiver go up his spine, and it wasn't from the cold.

_No one would notice if I snuck back in, right?_

He turned towards the castle, but a soft sound stopped him short.

"Ma…Master Ghirahim…? Sir…?"

Ghirahim turned around and stepped toward the voice, cautiously rounding a corner. "Kanji!"

"Master Ghirahim… you're back…"

"Child, what has happened to you?" Ghirahim knelt in the crimson snow, lifting the tattered demon into his arms and teleporting into the mansion.

"I don't… know. I was… dusting the sculptures off… I know you like them that way, and… something hit me… something… I don't…"

Kanji's eyes were void of all recognition or sense whatsoever. Ghirahim ran towards the room where the demon twins were staying, and he kicked the door open, rousing them both.

"You two need to share," he ordered, and Tovi jumped to his brother's bed, seeing as he was more mobile.

"Oh, Kanji!" Coryai exclaimed.

Tovi shook his head in bewilderment. "Lord Ghirahim, what happened?"

"That's what I want to know," he snapped. "Where is a good doctor when you need one?"

"Coryai, call Orbin! He knows a lot about medicine."

An explosion of white dust filled the room, and a demon man was standing there with a bag slung over his shoulder. "Someone call for a doc?"

The twins pointed to Kanji, and Ghirahim explained the situation. The man nodded and got right to work, and seeing that Kanji was taken care of, Ghirahim left, scratching his head.

"What on earth would have caused that? Augh. I need a cup of tea."

* * *

><p>Shai was sitting in his bedroom, sifting through the pages of his books as quickly as he possibly could, hunting in every tome he had, writing down page numbers, highlighting and underlining, folding over corners with a pencil tucked behind each ear and a pen in his mouth.<p>

"It has to be… somewhere in here…"

He flipped again and again, moving this way and that, searching for that one key word he needed to tell him—

"Aha!"

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: Sherlock Shai. XD<strong>

**So, like I said, not excessive on the torture. No, none of those OCs will be main characters, though they might rise in rank a little. Shai, Ghirahim, and Link are and will remain the focus of this story.  
><strong>

**Coryai is pronounced CORE-ee-eye**

**And Tovi is pronounced TOE-vee**

**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review on your way out!**


	8. Guilty As Charged

**A\N: GAH! I was going to post this last night, but wouldn't let me! Did anyone else have this problem? That when you went to go to your doc manager, it logged you out and said you had to log back in? And then you did, and it would just log you out again? Grr... I hate technology...**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter! The tension is building a lot, and in the next one... IT'S ADVENTURE TIME AGAIN! Because my favorite boys can't stay stationary for very long.**

**OMGGGGGGG! 52 reviews, WE ARE HALFWAY THERE! :DDDDDDDDD *cookies rain from the ceiling* Cookies! Cookies for everyone! ! MAY ALL YOUR HEARTS BE FILLED WITH RAINBOWS! AND COOKIES!**

**MENTION-TIME!**

**THANK YOU: henslight, meijosui, HextheDaydreamer, Sideways Jill, daMikueofAZ, NeonDystortion, WolfRunner326, CheerfulBubbles369, SHora, TheMysticalQ, Cold Calico, Leeyydybear, Some-One's-There, Whisperinmyear23, Kaiyt, TNTkitten, Define Sugar, WolfenAmphithere, zelda3469, and MengaGeek26!**

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**ENJOY!  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Master! Master, I have important news!" Shai ran through the halls, a stack of books in his hands as his thoughts raced frantically through his mind. The news he bore was both good and bad, and he had no idea how Ghirahim was going to take it. His master could very well reject the whole idea without a second thought, and that would be hours of research down the drain.<p>

But it didn't matter. Shai had what he thought was a good idea, and he was going to share it, regardless of the consequences.

So he rounded the corner and threw the bedroom door open, stepping inside.

"Master, I—"

But there was no one there.

"I think your master went out for a walk," a demon girl said as she passed on her way to the kitchen.

"Oh, thank you!" Shai smiled and waved and then bounded down the hall towards the front gate. He ran through the courtyard, assuming Ghirahim would be in town. If not, he could always try the ice gardens or—

"Shai!"

Shai skidded to a stop at the sound of a pained woman's voice, turning in a slowly circle until he spotted something royal blue in the snow.

"General Shyra!"

Snapping his books away, he dashed over to the fallen demon in the snow, cradling her head in his lap as he surveyed the damage, heart pounding at the overwhelming scent of blood.

"What happened?"

"I was attacked from behind," she gasped out, clutching a wound in her side. "The coward never showed his face." She spat in the snow, blood woven through her saliva.

"General Shyra, let me help you. Here, stand up." Shai helped her to stand, and then he put her arm over his shoulders, helping her walk towards the door. "You know it was a he?"

"The blow definitely came from a male hand—the style was unique—and the noise he made when swinging the sword was that of male character." Shyra inhaled sharply, stopping for a moment as she doubled in pain, blood falling from her lips. "Stupid cheap shot… how could I fall for that?"

Shai quickly teleported them inside, catching her as she nearly fell. "Come on. You can stay in here and I'll call—a doctor?"

Shai stopped midsentence as he opened the door, revealing the small party that had formed inside. "Tovi? Coryai? Kanji? Master? What are you all doing here?"

"Shyra!" Ghirahim exclaimed, eyes widening at the vast amount of blood she had lost.

Straightening herself, she saluted, eyes focused dead ahead and void of emotion. "Lord Ghirahim, sir, I regret to inform you that I was ambushed while my guard was down, and—"

Ghirahim grabbed her and pushed her onto a nearby, makeshift bed the doctor had thrown together. "It's fine, just rest." He gave her a slight smile and turned to Shai. "Shai, what is going on? Everyone is turning up injured!"

Shai shook his head. "I don't know, Master. I've only found Shyra, but—"

The door flew open, and the young girl Shai had encountered earlier stood there with a bloody rag pressed to her forehead. "I am sorry, Lord Ghirahim, but I made a mess of the kitchen floor."

Ghirahim stared in disbelief while Shai led her to Shyra's bed and lay her down, trying to comfort the wounded child.

"Don't worry about the floor, okay?"

The younger servant shook her head, weakly objecting. "B-but—"

"Shai, sound the alarm. Now."

Shai turned to Ghirahim. "Which one?"

"Code red. I want everyone on alert."

Shai bowed, vaguely feeling like there was something he wanted to say to Ghirahim, and then he turned and ran down the hall to the bell tower stairwell.

* * *

><p>Link groaned, hitting another dead end and marking it with the colored rock he found a couple hours ago. Turning around, he headed back the other way, a slight limp in his right leg. He had broken the chain fastened to it, but it came at the cost of a torn muscle and a twisted up joint.<p>

Then again, that was a long time ago. That was seven demons ago, twenty-eight dead-ends ago, and two fainting spells ago. Link was tired. It was so exhausting to walk for hours in circles with no destination, never knowing if the corner he turned would hide a stray rupee, the exit, or another battle bringing him a few wounds closer to death.

_I'm so tired of this… I just want to be done… Can I just be done? Please?_

It was as if Tovi and Coryai were still in the room, showering him in fear and doubt. Or some of the other demons he had fought. Indolence was the worst. Ever since that battle, Link just felt tired and weak and lazy all over.

Finally, he gave up, slumping against the wall and stabbing his blade into the dirt. Sighing, he hung his head down between his knees, eyes drifting shut.

"Master… there is something on the floor in front of you."

Link forced his eyes open, brow scrunching up. "A letter?" He reached out and picked it up, snapping the wax seal and reading the message inside.

_Dear, _

_I can't apologize enough for this… unfortunate turn of events. But don't give up just yet! There is a way out of the labyrinth, and if you can get out, good things might happen for you._

_Signed,_

Link sighed heavily, tucking the letter into his pocket and letting his head fall back against the rocks.

"Master, I would suggest resting twenty-four paces to your right," Fi's voice chimed from the blade.

The hero grumbled. "Why?"

"There is a demon directly to your left, Master."

Link glanced up and met glowing, purple eyes behind the veil of night. "And who are you?" he droned, looking forward again.

"My name is Ryzka." He moved towards Link, but did not attack, his pointed ears dancing in all directions. "And yours?"

"Link."

Fi spoke up again. "Master, I would suggest moving immediately."

"Just chill. He's not doing anything, okay?" Link rubbed his aching temple. _Sometimes, I swear…_

"Are… are you with Lord Ghirahim? Or against him?"

Link gave him an odd look, a small part of him wondering why this creature was making small talk with him. "Against. Completely."

The demon approached him slightly, a smile lighting his face. "Really? Really, really?!"

The demon in question was coated from head to toe in purple, eyes like violets and lips painted red—from blood or make-up, Link didn't know. Flame tattoos adorned his body, namely on his face, neck, arms, and chest.

"Would… If I helped you to get out, would you take me with you?"

Link frowned, digging the Master's Sword out of the ground and sheathing it. "I thought everyone here was loyal to Ghirahim."

Ryzka shook his head crawling up to Link with a desperate plea in his eyes. "Will… will you help me?"

Link nodded, a warm but tired smile on his face. "Sure thing, kid."

"Thank you!" Ryzka hugged him tightly around the waist. "Go that way! The exit isn't too far, but it gets pretty dark. Do you have a torch?"

Link held his up and started down the path. "Got'cha covered."

They walked for a few moments in silence, and then Link turned slightly, trying to strike up a conversation. "So, how old are you?"

The torch suddenly flew from his hands and landed in a nearby puddle, fizzing out as the shadows ate up what little light graced his eyes. Link instinctively put his hand on the hilt of the Master's Sword, peering into the blackness in a futile attempt to see.

"Hello? Ryska? Hello?"

Link hit the ground, a blade driving into his back, blood splattering over the ceiling.

"Silly little human, don't you know? Ryska means deception. You should be more careful. Or have my fellow demons already numbed your senses?"

Link didn't reply. He lay there in a puddle of his own blood, wondering what the point was. Really, what was he trying to achieve? Ghirahim was never letting him out, he was never getting out, there was an endless supply of demons, and Link could only take so much damage before it was all over anyways. He shut his eyes and waited for the being to finish him off.

_It's for the best anyways, and—_

Zelda's face flashed through his mind, eyes alight with hope and complete trust in him and his abilities. Pipit slapping him on the shoulder with words of encouragement, and Karane's warm smile. Groose's obnoxious, yet endearing and somehow violent shaking of Link's shoulders. Impa's expression the day he had showed up on time, proving her assumption about him wrong.

Blue eyes snapped open, blazing with a passion and determination he had not felt since the battle where he defeated Ghirahim, encasing him in the holy blade. Grabbing the hilt of the sword in his back, he jerked it out, hissing in pain as he whirled around and thrust it forwards, knowing the location of the demon from his voice.

"Master, there is a 100% chance you should run into the wall to your right and see what happens."

Considering it was Fi and she was never wrong, he did just that. His hands made contact with hard stones, but the rocks gave way, and soon he was lying in a dark staircase leading up to an opening with blinding white light streaming down.

Scrambling to his feet, he ran up the stairs, Ryska right on his tail.

"Thanks, Fi!"

"Anytime, Master."

"Sorry I didn't listen earlier."

He could hear the smile in her voice. "I forgive you, Master."

Link broke through to the surface and broke into a dead run, feet pounding into the snow and ice as he made his way to the large, steel gate behind the massive Axialain castle. His heart thumped wildly in his chest, breaths coming in ragged, broken pieces.

_I have to figure out where I am. The nearest Bird Statue is almost at the crest of the range, and there's no way I can run all the way there in this condition._

Link glanced over his shoulder and saw he was running alone. Ryska either went to tell Ghirahim he'd escaped, or he had returned to the labyrinth.

_Ryska means deception_.

Link kept his eyes wide and his mind focused, not willing to believe he was safe until he was back in Skyloft. Or at least out of demon territory. He ran on and on, but still there was no sign of Ryska, and soon, he was standing outside the castle gate, walking towards the forest before him.

He entered the wooded area and slowed almost instantly. The air smelled strongly of copper, and though there was a fair amount of blood on his sword from the battles he'd fought, it was far too little to be what he smelled.

Sniffing the air, he took a step to the right and maneuvered around a nearby tree, sliding between the branches and entering a small clearing.

Wide, crystal blue eyes focused on a battered corpse lying in the midst of crimson snow. Swallowing hard, he approached the body, and let out a soft gasp as he realized it was Ryska.

"But… But I was just…"

He looked over his shoulder towards the castle. Hadn't Ryska been chasing him from _behind _not moments ago?

_Ryska means deception, eh? Maybe he's faking…_

Link slowly approached the fallen demon, poking him with his sword, but the boy never responded. Link got close enough to look at his eyes, which were wide and terrified, and at just once glance, he knew Ryska was dead. But why? Who had killed him?

An explosion of diamonds interrupted his thoughts, and Link readied his sword, expecting an attack. The sparkles cleared, and Ghirahim gave him an odd look, smirking at the sight of the blade.

"Odd. I thought I smelled death, and instead I find—"

It was then that the demon lord spied Ryska, and he jolted to a stop midsentence. There was long silence as Ghirahim stared at the body, and then his gaze slowly traveled to Link's blade, and after that, his face.

Link stared back, and then recognized the look in Ghirahim's eyes.

"W-wait, you don't think—"

"Yes, I do think."

Link shook his head. "I was running from him, and he disappeared! I found him like this, I didn't—"

"Why is there blood on your sword?"

Link frowned at Ghirahim's tone of voice, which was cold and questioning, not sounding at all like the answer was relevant to the final verdict. "From all the battles. It's not his—I mean, it is his, but not like I killed him."

"Then how did he die?"

"I don't know!" Link exclaimed, clenching his fists at the piercing gaze he was feeling. It was uncomfortable, dangit! "I didn't do anything, okay? I was running away. I just wanted to get back to Skyloft. I don't know what happened!"

"I find that very hard to believe, skychild." Ghirahim crossed his arms over his chest, head tilting slightly to the side. "I sense death, so I teleport to the location from whence it came, and I find you with a bloodied sword standing over a dead demon who was not moments ago your rival in a life and death battle. What am I supposed to do with that information, hmm?"

Link shifted, Ghirahim's unwavering gaze sending chills down his spine. "I don't… I didn't…" He opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to grasp some sort of sentence that could declare his innocence.

"Well? You don't _what_?"

Link shook his head, mouth still open, and then he managed to say a quiet, "I didn't do it…"

Ghirahim sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, and he snapped his fingers, the body dissipating in Ghirahim's classic shroud. Approaching the young hero, he grasped the hilt of the sword, eyes like knives boring into him. "Inside, skychild. Now."

Link glanced around him, knowing it was possible to escape. He could overpower Ghirahim in combat and then run in practically any direction and taste freedom. Fi knew where the bird statues were, and she could direct him where he needed to go. A few moblins perhaps, but other than that, it was smooth sailing to Skyloft.

Lowering his blade, he nodded, allowing Ghirahim to take his wrist. Ghirahim plucked the sword from his grasp, and Link jerked his head up.

"Hey, what are—"

His vision exploded in white, and he stumbled back, hitting a wall. He opened his eyes and looked around, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head.

_I'm in a cell…_

Sitting down, he growled to himself, wondering why he didn't just fight and run. Now he was trapped without his blade, and Ghirahim was furious with him.

_But I didn't do anything!_

And while knowing that was all well and good, the big problem was convincing the taskmaster of that fact.

* * *

><p><em>Now what? He accused me of what I didn't do, and I punished him for it, but now I'm accusing him. Of course, I have evidence while he didn't, which gives me credibility, but still…<em>

Ghirahim sighed, entering his bedroom and sitting down on the couch to think. Laying back against the pillows, he rang the little bell on the coffee table.

The door opened, and Shai poked his head in. "Yes, Master?"

"Come here a second. I need you."

Shai walked over and sat down opposite his master, hands folded on his lap. "Yes, Master, what do you need?"

"Ryska is dead, and it is extremely probable Link is the culprit, however… I do not wish to accuse him wrongly as he did to me. I cannot stand hypocrisy. My question to you is… what do you think I should do? I am looking for variation of opinion here."

Shai frowned, lowering his gaze to the floor, obviously upset about a fellow demon's death but doing his best to support his master. "I don't know. I would say innocent until proven guilty."

Ghirahim sighed, rubbing his face. "Pity… I was so looking forward to whipping him for this…"

Shai cleared his throat after that sentence, and Ghirahim glanced over at him from beneath his hands. "Yes?"

"Master… I need to talk to you about that, too. In all the chaos with the attacks, I forgot about it, but…"

Ghirahim sat up, focusing all of his attention on the young boy. "Alright, I'm listening."

"First off, I need to know if you want to get rid of these sadistic wants you have."

Ghirahim stopped for moment, scratching his chin as he glanced at the ceiling. "It would be nice… It's difficult to rely on torture to make it from one day to another. I suppose it's something I'll always enjoy because I'm a sadism demon, but yes… to no longer be enslaved to it…" He nodded. "I would enjoy that, yes. Why do you ask?"

Shai took a deep breath and snapped his fingers, and array of books materializing on the coffee table. "Master, these are books I've been researching for the past day and a half. I've discovered something very interesting about your specific kind of demon, and if you're willing… I think we can lessen those feelings."

Ghirahim raised his eyebrows and leaned forwards, resting his head in his hands as he gazed down at the well-loved tomes.

"Explain."

"Well, Master, as you know, every demon has his own evil in which he specializes. Sin, in other words. And when a demon receives a master, if they have the same properties, the property in question is intensified to a point of addiction to it."

Ghirahim nodded. "So in my case, Demise. What is your point, Shai? How do I fix it?"

Shai hesitated, his face twisting up into an expression that displayed both worry and fear. "W-well… in order to release yourself… you would have to…"

"What, Shai?" Ghirahim blew his bangs out of his eyes, growing impatient with the situation. "Would you just spit it out?"

Shai straightened up, setting his eyes and grabbing Ghirahim's gaze with a seriousness the boy did not often hold. "Master, in order to rid yourself of these thoughts and feelings… you have to reject the one who gave them to you."

Ghirahim shook his head, slowly entering a form of shock as the meaning sank in. "What?"

"To free yourself, your only option is to betray Demise."

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: And THIS is why I needed Link torture. XD Well... not the ENTIRE reason... but that's chapter nine. We're not there yet.<br>**

**So, I hope y'all enjoyed! Please review! *holds up cookies***


	9. The Plot Thickens

**A\N: Excuse me while I go puke because of how awful this is. *facedesk* I'm so sorry! It's short, it doesn't get the plot very far, and I think I did just terrible. I'm almost ashamed of posting this, but I had to give you guys something! *sighs* I just had no inspiration. Not a single idea. Add to that a broken keyboard, which took down the speed of my typing (normally 83 WPM) and also (idk how many of you know this) but I'm actually a freelance writer and I got a lot of ideas for the other books and things I'm working on, and even thought I love you guys, stuff that could actually be published and make money someday is just a little higher on my priority chain than fanfiction. Sorry! So is work and school and family... that's just how it is. I'll try not to make you wait so long again though!**

**Um, yeah. So. Try to enjoy, and please review, even if it's just to tell me it's awful. I will totally understand if you flame this. My keyboard has been ordered, so when I get the new one, hopefully I will be able to post more often. That, and inspiration. I need a boatload of inspo. Maybe it's time to play the game again... *sighs***

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><p>"What?!" Ghirahim exploded, standing up and throwing his hands in the air. "Is this some kind of sick joke?"<p>

"Master, please, it's the only way to—"

Ghirahim cut him off. "Or maybe you're just insane! I cannot betray my master, Shai, he means everything to me! You should know that. You should understand that."

Shai grabbed onto his arms, lowering them and trying to calm the demon's rage. "Please, Master, listen to me for just a moment—"

"No!" Ghirahim shoved him away, jabbing a finger towards the ground as fire lit his eyes. "No! The answer is no! It is not an option... Just, no!"

"But—"

"End of discussion!" The shout echoed through the quiet of the bedchamber.

Shai stopped, lowering his hands to his thighs and rubbing the fabric there nervously. A small part of Ghirahim registered that he was slipping back into his temperamental ways and Shai was scared, but the other part of him was stuck in a rut—for lack of a better word—and it was mere force of habit controlling his actions.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Master, I shouldn't have suggested it."

"No, you shouldn't have." Ghirahim turned away from him, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the wall. He slowly inhaled, and then exhaled, his shoulders dropping. "Just go… make tea or something."

Ghirahim heard the familiar chimes that accompanied Shai's teleportation, but the usual 'yes, Master' was absent from his departure. Ghirahim let his ear bow, his body following suit as he sank down onto the couch and held his head in his hands. "That's… I can't. He has to understand that, right? I can't… I can't betray Demise… Not Master… what would I do without a master? Where would I go? Who would I be?"

He sighed, pulling himself to his feet again and starting out into the hall.

_Regardless of what I'm going to do about me_, _something needs to be done about these attacks. I suppose I should have the demons see Link. Maybe one of them sensed his aura before being attacked. If that's the case, feeling it again should bring something back._

He walked down the hall, chin in his hand as he thought, and before long, he was standing outside the infirmary, rapping on the door. A very eager Coryai whisked it open and smiled up at the lord in excitement.

"Hello, Lord Ghirahim, sir! Can I help you with something?"

Ghirahim nodded. "You all can. I need you to go look at Link and tell me if anything about him seems familiar."

Coryai got a puzzled expression, and his head shook slowly. "But Lord Ghirahim, Tovi and I just fought him this morning. Of course he will seem familiar."

"I know, but you were the first ones he fought, so you experienced him at his strongest. I want you to compare injuries and find similarities and differences, and lastly, I want you to watch the way his aura seems around the other demons. Look for changes in demeanor and countenance." He looked around at the demons. "Do you think you can do that?"

Four of the five invalids saluted, and Ghirahim approached the only one who did not—the slave girl.

"Well?" he snapped.

She slowly raised her head, daffodil eyes gazing at him with an innocence very few beings held. "Yes, sir?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, and he softened slightly.

"Why didn't you salute?"

She fidgeted slightly, blushing at the attention she was receiving. "Y-you asked if you thought I could do it, and… I don't think I can… I'm scared…"

Ghirahim frowned, tilting his head slightly, both his 'how weak' and 'poor thing' sides clambering inside of his mind. "What is your name, dear?"

"Kishira."

"Ah, you are Fragile." He nodded in understanding.

General Shyra spoke at this point, taking the young girl's hand. "If you stay with me, you have no reason to be afraid."

Ghirahim sighed and walked to the door. "I don't need to supervise this, correct?"

All of the demons nodded, and Ghirahim snapped his fingers. In a flurry of diamonds, he was standing on a ledge overlooking Link's cell.

_It's best if they believe I am not here. I don't want to cloud their judgment._

* * *

><p>Link's head snapped up as a loud metallic clang echoed through the empty chambers. Some shouts and footsteps followed afterwards, and in less than two minutes, a pair of silver gloves grasped the bars to the window of his cell door.<p>

"I found him!" a familiar voice sang out.

_What was his name? Co… Cori…Coryai? Yeah, Coryai. Fear._

Link slowly got to his feet and pressed one hand to his side, eyes wide and examining the door.

_I don't have the Master's Sword, and he's not alone. Now what?_

The door eased open and then young demon leapt in, a boyish sparkle lighting his eyes. He was followed by four others, and they all stared at him upon entrance. Link watched them suspiciously for a moment, and after several minutes of silence, he finally blurted out, "What do you want with me?"

Coryai stepped towards him, taking his chin and gazing into his eyes, white eyes staring into Link's sapphire ones. Tovi moved forwards, too. "We're examining you. I thought it was obvious," they said.

Link frowned but didn't move. If they were going to examine him, why not return the favor? Because he was no longer in the black labyrinth, he was able to make several observations he couldn't before.

Coryai had silvery white hair and eyes that were so void of color they made him look both dead and bright at the same time. His chalky skin added to this illusion of death, but even lighter were the white tattoos adorning his entire body. The etchings took a swirly, flowing form with no real depiction to be seen, but rather vines and spirals with a star or butterfly here and there. There was nothing that could give any indication of what this boy's signature object was. He wore white pants made of spandex, but no top and a black, leather choker—the only dark color on him.

Then there was his twin brother, Tovi. Or at least, Link assumed they were brothers. This one he remembered getting a rather good look at in the prisons. But now that he was in the light, he noticed a rather nasty scar running from his shoulder to his hip, which was revealed because the boy decided to wear tight, red shorts and a tank top like shirt that let his bellybutton hang out. He didn't have shoes, but it seemed like… stockings? Spandex stockings that went up to mid-thigh.

There was another boy he hadn't seen before, this one with light blue hair and eyes that were almost identical to Link's. Deep, ocean blue. His clothing consisted of browns and blacks, and it was all baggy. To Link, it seemed, he was breaking every demon dress code rule ever written, and he was completely okay with that. He did, however, follow the rules of tattoos. He liked dragonflies apparently, seeing as they were scattered all over his body in bright, violet coloring, and piercings ornamented his face, ears, and bellybutton.

Then there were the two girls. One of them he vaguely remembered from the battlefield that fateful day nearly two years ago. Shyra, had the one soldier called her before falling to his death? Yes, General Shyra was her name. A stunning woman both in figure and ferocity. Electric blue eyes energized with passion and hair of the same hue blanketing her shoulders, metal ornaments and feathers tied here and there. Black leather on every inch of her body, and of what Link could see, her tattoos were that of rolling waves on a wild blue sea.

The other girl, a much younger one, had bright yellow eyes and hair, and 'sunshine' would have been the perfect nickname for her. She didn't have the tattoos and piercings that all of the others did, and Link wondered if maybe it was more a tribal thing. A 'coming of age' thing; a passage to adulthood. However, her clothing style was the same. A yellow skirt and tank top—as always, it was spandex—and the cutest little boots he'd ever seen.

"I really don't think it's him, Tovi." Coryai shook his head, releasing Link's face and shrugging his shoulders. "He doesn't have that look in his eye. When I walk towards him, the aura isn't there."

The woman shook her head, back straight and shoulders square in military fashion. "He doesn't have the right fighting style, and he is too easy to sense for him to have been sneaking around undetected."

"His energy is steady," Tovi commented, and Link gave him a confused look.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you aren't changing emotions depending on who you're talking to. Integrity is the human word, I believe." Tovi nodded affirmatively.

"I dunno, Shai likes him so…" The demon boy yet to be named shrugged his shoulders, mirror eyes peering at him from a reasonable distance.

Finally, all four demons turned their gaze to the little girl, who walked towards him slowly, shaking hands pinned to her sides. She looked up at him through yellow bangs, batting her lashes a few times before running at him and grabbing him around the waist. "I like him!"

Coryai laughed softly as Link awkwardly patted her head, a blush creeping up his face.

"What's going on?"

Everyone turned towards the door to see Shai standing there, a tea tray in his hands. "Did I miss something?"

"We were just inspecting Link to see whether or not he's guilty," the boy said. "We don't think he is."

"Well, that's good," Shai said, a weak smile tugging at his mouth. "If you all don't mind, I have to take this up to Master Ghirahim. Is there anything you need?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah, actually, I wanted to talk to you." He waved, pulling Shai away from the cell. "Later guys!"

There was a collective, "Bye, Kanji," and Link deduced from those statements that the boy's name was 'Kanji.'

"I wonder what Lord Ghirahim wants us to do with him now that we know he's innocent?" Coryai asked, shrugging his shoulder.

Link frowned, not liking the fact that he was being talked about as if he wasn't there. "I'm right here, you know."

Coryai glanced at him briefly but didn't respond. Tovi stepped forwards and grabbed Link's wrist, attaching to it a long chain that was fastened to the floor.

"I think we can leave him like this for now, but we should ask Lord Ghirahim just to be safe."

Link stood up, stumbling a bit when pain jolted through the restrained arm. "I still have questions."

There were several snaps around the room, and then the smoke and lights faded.

"Great. Alone again."

"I can fix that for you, skychild." Ghirahim dropped to the ground in front of him, seizing his arms and smirking. "There. All better."

Link jerked away from him, gritting his teeth. "What do you want? You saw it yourself—I'm innocent! Why are you keeping me here?"

Ghirahim grinned, volts going through Link's arm and sending him to the ground. "It's very simple, actually, but you must listen close." Ghirahim crouched down in front of him and grabbed his chin, pulling him closer and whispering in his ear. "I can… therefore, I do."

Link gasped as one of Ghirahim's dark blades plunged into his gut, gripping the wound and glaring up into charcoal eyes. "That's _it_?! What the heck is _wrong _with you?"

Ghirahim chuckled to himself, hand like a vice as it held Link's arm, nearly crushing the bone from sheer force. "I don't actually know, skychild, I'm just a little… sadistic at times."

"Really? We're doing this again? Relapse into crazy?" Link scoffed, leaning back. "We all know how this ends, Ghirahim. Go ahead. Torture me. Have your fun."

Ghirahim growled, getting to his feet and stalking to the other side of the room. "If I could, I would, _believe _me."

Link frowned, slowly tilting his head to one side and easing onto his knees. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Ghirahim sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I promised Shai that I wouldn't, and I've already gone back on enough promises for every one of my lifetimes and then some."

Link didn't say anything for a long time, trying to find a nice way to say what he wanted to say. He wanted to tell Ghirahim he thought it was really cool that he was so respectful of his slave's wishes, but how did he say that to Ghirahim without it coming across as an insult? How did he say it without hating himself for admitting Ghirahim could be an okay person at times?

"Master Ghirahim! Master Ghirahim!"

Ghirahim's head snapped towards the door as a mangled Kanji stumbled up to the cell, grasping the bars in slick, bloodied fingers. "What is it?" Ghirahim asked, moving towards the door and letting the boy in.

"It's Shai! We were taking your tea upstairs when a sword came dead outta nowhere! It hit him in the chest and I picked him up and started to run, but then the hall filled with smoke and something hit me. Now I can't find him! I can't _find_ him, Master Ghirahim, he's _gone!_"

Ghirahim froze, and Link pulled against the chain, ignoring the pain it was sending through his body. "What was the last thing you saw?" Link asked desperately. "Where would he go? Are you sure he didn't run?"

Ghirahim's eyes lit up at that idea, but Kanji shook his head.

"He left this, and there was too much blood for him to be able to get away alone. He lost so… so much."

Ghirahim hoisted the panting demon onto his shoulder. "Don't overexert yourself." He looked at the note Kanji had given him and frowned when he saw it. Glaring, he passed it to Link.

It was just a giant mess of symbols. Link didn't really see anything of particular…

"It's a 'G' an 'L' and another 'G'," Ghirahim said dryly.

"So…?"

The demon arched a graceful eyebrow. "You aren't very bright, are you?"

Link glared, not appreciating the comment.

"Green Link. Lord Ghirahim. GLG. Isn't it obvious? He wants us to…" Ghirahim growled to himself, looking away and spitting out, "Work together to get him back."

Link did a double-take. "What? No way!" He looked at Kanji. "How did he have time to write that anyways?"

Ghirahim didn't let the demon answer. "Shai carries around cards with him, mostly with my name, and when he's in trouble or needs to leave a trail or is kidnapped, as it is in this situation, he leaves them for people to find. He probably made ones with your name when he lived in Skyloft, and when I came back, he made combinations because he adores us both."

Link smiled slightly at that, but quickly sobered. "I'm still not going with you."

Ghirahim laughed bitterly. "You don't have a choice, skychild. I will not disappoint Shai."

Link growled, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring, almost issuing a silent challenge to Ghirahim. Ghirahim took it like a wild dog would take fresh meat.

Snapping his fingers, Kanji disappeared to who knew where, and Ghirahim seized Link around the waist, slicing the chain and throwing the hero over his shoulder.

"And we're off."

Link glowered, driving a foot into Ghirahim's gut.

"And… I'm ignoring that."

Link was surprised at the docile response and attempted again to tick off the demon, hoping if a fight ensued, he would have a better chance at escape. No such luck. Ghirahim was determined to stay level-headed, and soon the two were outside in the snow, standing upon the castle wall and looking out over the vast land.

"East. We're going east."

Link didn't say anything. He didn't _want _to say anything. Sure, he thought Ghirahim was nice to his fellow demons, and that was all plums and cherry pie, but Link hadn't forgotten the long nights of torture and pain, the battles, kidnapping Zelda, and everything else that Ghirahim had done.

"Come on, skychild, don't dawdle."

Link followed him, still silent.

_Don't dawdle,_ he mocked. _I'll show you don't dawdle!_


	10. Within Reach

**A\N: WHOO! Much, MUCH happier with this chapter than the last. I really like how it turned out, and I hope you do, too! I've been sick, but this is lookin' like the highlight of my day! It's filling my heart with RAINBOWS! **

**animefreak144 I would absolutely love that! I just wanna know how you're going to show it to me if you can't log in... *confused* But I would most certainly love it!  
><strong>

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Link wasn't going to lie. He had never thought of Ghirahim as a nature boy. At all. But as the two traversed across the icy landscape, it became more and more evident that Ghirahim knew what he was doing. He pointed which direction to go without hesitation, he examined the land around him, when they hit a rise he would look in every direction to make sure they were on course, he would test the wind and the temperature, and on occasion he would ask Link if he could still feel his fingers or toes, to which Link would reply with a nod.<p>

However, despite the most valiant efforts of both the demon and the human hero, Shai was nowhere to be found. Their only clue was another card found just outside the castle, but that was miles ago.

"So… what now?" Link asked, attempting to pick up his pace.

Ghirahim glanced over his shoulder. "What now what?"

"What do we do now?"

"We wait."

"Wait, what? For what?"

There was a moment of silence between the two, and then Ghirahim shook his head. "It's getting late, skychild, and we'll never find him in the dark. Besides, your hands are freezing."

"They are not," Link objected, putting said hands on his hips.

"Oh?" Ghirahim grabbed his wrist and held the appendage in front of the boy's face, waving it back and forth. "This is not supposed to be blue, Link."

Link whisked his hand away and started towards the nearest cave, grumbling to himself about how demons should keep their hands to themselves while shoving his own hands deep into the warmth of his pockets.

Suddenly, a hand closed around his neck and jerked him back, pressing him tightly against Ghirahim as a black saber flew forwards and blood splayed over the ground. Link gasped, shifting his position away from the gore at his feet, and then slowly looked back at Ghirahim.

"Pay more attention. Those things are everywhere, and—believe it or not—they have less sense than a moblin. They don't know who I am, and they don't follow my orders."

Link nodded slightly, eyes still trained on the Kisiho corpse at his feet. "Got it, uh… Th…Thanks. I guess."

Ghirahim didn't say anything, but averted his gaze slowly and pushed Link away from himself, giving a soft, "Mm-hmm."

Link followed closely behind him and kept a hand on his sword, which Ghirahim had been kind enough to return to him. "Are we spending the night? Or just making a quick stop?"

"It depends. We'll see what happens." Ghirahim snapped himself up to the mouth of the cave, which was elevated several feet off the ground, and Link sighed, grabbing onto one of the lower rocks and starting the climb to the top. It was difficult to accomplish with sore, frozen fingers, but after fifteen minutes of struggling, he was pulling himself onto the ledge.

Standing up, Link dusted himself off and turned towards the black den to see Ghirahim sitting by a pile of sticks and reading a book whilst waving his fingers over the bundle.

"What are you doing?" Link asked, frowning as he stepped closer to the crouching demon.

"Fire isn't my specialty, but I'm trying to conjure a little warmth for the evening. So, if you don't mind…" Ghirahim got back to his book, frowning in the dim light and turning a few pages before trying again.

Link rolled his eyes, pulling his spark rocks from his pocket and walking over, striking them a few times and softly blowing on the embers to coax a flame into being. Within minutes, the faggot was lit and a small fire crackled betwixt them.

Ghirahim frowned and closed his book but nodded. "Well done."

"Mm-hmm…"

A heavy silence filled the air, and then Ghirahim snapped a pillow into his hands lying down on the dirt, letting a long stream of air pass through his lips. "Get some sleep, skychild."

"Shouldn't someone keep watch?"

Ghirahim shook his head, eyes already closed and mind brushing the edges of sleep. "I will be able to sense if there is something wrong…"

Link shifted uneasily, but Fi blinked her approval of the statement, and after a few awkward moments, he lay down on the other side of the fire and drifted off.

* * *

><p><em>It was dark. It was dark and endless and every step he took echoed in the long dark corridor, almost as if the very air around him was whispering some forewarning. Everything in him told him to turn tail and run, but he paid it no mind. The layout was actually sort of familiar. It was and sweltering, yet chills were running down his spine as the pitch black closed in around him.<em>

"_Leaving so soon, skychild?"_

_Link whirled around and raised his sword, backing up slowly, steadily, eyes darting in all directions._

"_Boo."_

_Two arms wrapped around him, and pain coursed through his body. The Master's Sword clattered to the stones, and Link let out a scream as an electrical current ran up his spine and drove through his forehead. He doubled over, nausea swelling in his stomach and pushing up his throat._

"_What do you want, Ghirahim?"_

"_Nothing, skychild."_

"_Then why? Why do you keep doing this to me!?" Link screamed in pain, grasping his thigh as the slow, piercing, throbbing burn began to sear into his flesh and bone, the distinct shape of 'LG' serving as the center for all of the pain._

"_You know why, skychild. I can, therefore, I do."_

"_Skychild! Skychild!"_

"_But why—why are you so… so…"_

"_Skychild, can you hear me? Link!"_

_Ghirahim struck him in the face, and Link yelped, grasping his adversary's wrists and gritting his teeth._

"_Just leave me alone! I just want to be left alone!"_

"_Link, wake up or so help me I really will beat you within an inch of your life!"_

_Link's ear was flooded with warm slime, and in a fit or surprise, the earlier words sank in. Wake up? Oh no…_

* * *

><p>"Ah!" Link shot up, smacked his head into something, and promptly fell back to the ground, holding his forehead in pain. "Oh… I hit my head…"<p>

"Yeah." Ghirahim grunted, releasing one of Link's wrists. "On _my _head."

Link's vision cleared, and he stared up at Ghirahim with a bewildered expression. "Wh…What happened?"

"You started thrashing and screaming in your sleep. I could sense the negative aura coming off of you and decided to investigate. I was unaware I was going to get a royal headache for my troubles."

Link grumbled, pushing Ghirahim away from him, thigh still burning like acid under his skin. "Gee, thanks for the sincerity of your heartfelt actions. Go back to sleep." He rolled over, curling up and using his hands as a pillow.

He half expected Ghirahim to be his usual, nosy self and demand an answer, but the demon lord shrugged it off and crawled back to his pillow, stoking the fire and flopping over onto the down-filled case with a tired sigh.

Link rolled his eyes and curled a little tighter, intense pain spiking through his leg. It was spreading now. Up to his hip and down to his knee the pain was deep and in the joints it was even worse. He found if he flexed his knee it made his hip feel a little better, but then he would have to stop because of his thigh and knee. The alternation seemed to work, though.

That is, until Ghirahim noticed.

"Exactly what is your problem?"

Link growled, refusing to answer and going about his business as if Ghirahim had never said a word.

"Why are you doing that? I'm trying to sleep, so knock it off!"

Link bit his lip, the agony spiking to a new high, one that he could not relieve, and curled up tightly. He remained as motionless as possible, but still the ache grew, yet when he moved it was even worse.

Two strong hands grasped his hips and rolled him over, placing him on his back. "Alright, what seems to be the trouble here, skychild?"

"Nothing," he grunted, arms folded over his stomach.

"Of course. Nothing." Ghirahim grabbed his trousers and pulled them to his knees, examining the scar with nocturnal eyes. "Ah, I nearly forgot about that. The acid I poured into the wounds while they were fresh. It seems your leg has become permanently infected."

Link gasped. "Really? Thank you so much! I hadn't figured that out for myself."

Ghirahim glared at him, cuffing his ear sharply. "I'm not amused, skychild."

Link didn't have anything to say to that, and Ghirahim's fingers moved down Link's thigh, dancing above the glowing red flesh gingerly. He snapped his fingers and before Link could see what he had created, an icy cold… something… was pressed to the scar, easing the pain almost instantly.

"Hah… What is that?"

"It's ice, skychild." Ghirahim handed the glass looking structure to Link and walked around him, grabbing him beneath the arms and dragging him to the fire. "Your joints, however, will need to be warmed. Cold is never good for your human bone connections."

Link groaned, subconsciously aware that he was weak and vulnerable in front of his mortal enemy, but at the moment it hurt too much to even think of rebellion or pride.

"I suppose if we're going to be performing cooperatively… I should fix that."

Link couldn't help his heart leaping into his throat or the boyish grin on his face. "You mean you can?" The hope in his voice couldn't be kept away, either.

Ghirahim nodded, holding up his hand and coating it in orange diamonds before lowering it the skin. "It will burn, but after that, it should be like any other scar. If you do have another attack, it will be brought about by other magic, not by mere nightmares."

Link grit his teeth at the thought of more burning, but he braced himself and clenched his fists, waiting for the pain to start.

It didn't disappoint.

It was as if he was getting the brand all over again. It burned like fire and acid, deep into his body, pulsing in perfect rhythm with his heart as the magic seeped through his veins. His head throbbed, and the backs of his eyes burned, tears brimming his eyes. He hissed in pain, barely holding back a scream as his back arched, his entire being objecting to the excruciating agony he was being forced to endure.

"It's going to get severe for a moment, but then it will recede. Brace yourself."

"You mean it gets _worse_?"

Ghirahim chuckled softly, but it was overlapped by Link's earsplitting scream as his body burned and throbbed, limbs ripping from his joints and stomach twisting into one million knots.

Then, it was gone. Just like that. There was a dull ache in his leg, and he was filled with a lethargic, tired feeling, but the pain was gone.

"There we go, all done. Very pleasant voice, by the by."

Link bristled at that and sat straight up, eyes like fire. "You! You didn't really heal me, you just did it so you could hear me scream, didn't you?"

Ghirahim scoffed, tossing his bangs to the side, only to have them fall back. "As if, skychild. Your leg is in better condition than it has been for years. Appreciate it, and don't expect it to happen again."

Link glowered at him and lay down, furious with himself for releasing the pent up wail, and even worse, the tears he could now feel on his cheeks. Why did Ghirahim of _all people _have to see him like this? Honestly? So much torture and pain he endured and now… now…

Link crossed his arms over his chest, rolling towards the fire and staring into the blaze, jaw set and eyes hard. "Whatever."

* * *

><p>Ghirahim sighed.<p>

_I am never going to find Shai this way._

He looked at Link for a long while, lips twisted up into a scowl, fingers curled around his chin as he examined the form before him. Even with Ghirahim's utmost effort thrown into gaining a little respect and trust from the boy, it was all fruitless. Link simply wanted nothing to do with him, and could Ghirahim honestly blame him?

_Well, what am I supposed to do?_

He observed him for several more moments watching as he shifted and sighed, and then he heard it: a whimper. Link was still suffering the after effects of the magic.

Slowly, steadily, Ghirahim approached him, crouching down to Link's level in the soft light of the fire. He spooned himself next the boy silently, wondering why he was doing what he was doing. Five fingers laced through Link's silky, blonde hair, and the other five found their way to the ground beside Link's chest. His chin nestled into the mess of blonde between his fingers, and Link stiffened.

It had always worked with Shai—physical contact, that is—but Link was different in many ways. This was definitely going to be a hit or miss situation.

"What are you doing?"

"You looked… depressive."

Link wriggled a little, moving away from the hold.

"What's wrong?" Ghirahim asked, steadily holding him.

"Why are you touching me?"

"Because you appeared to be in pain. Do you not feel better?"

There was a long silence, and then Link started to relax. "Well… A little."

Ghirahim smiled. "I see."

"Don't… don't try anything… got it?"

Ghirahim laughed softly, closing his eyes and drifting off almost instantly. "I hear you loud and clear, skychild…"

* * *

><p>Sunlight streamed into the cave, and Ghirahim shifted slightly, a light grin teasing his lips. The skychild had slept like a baby after Ghirahim had embraced him, and it almost made him feel haughty. He liked having that sort of power over Link, even if it was something as simple as making him sleep despite pure agony.<p>

"Skychild, wake up. We're going to get going."

"Mmnhh… Wha…?" Link turned bleary eyes to the smoldering heap of wood.

"I said we're going to get going. We have to find Shai." Ghirahim gave his shoulder a good shake. "Link!"

Link jumped, reaching back and grabbing Ghirahim's clothing, tugging on it and trying to pull it off.

"Uhm… Link?"

Link's eyes opened and glared across the room. "What?" Then he realized Ghirahim wasn't there. And his gaze slowly traveled to the other side of the fire, where he was. "Oh!" He released Ghirahim's spandex and clumsily got to his feet, swooning a bit. "Heh, I thought… I thought you were a blanket."

Ghirahim let out a soft laugh and got to his feet, snapping the pillows away and heading towards the mouth of the cave. "Well, do you have everything you need?"

"Yup."

"Are you hungry?"

Link shook his head. "Nah. Let's just find Shai."

Ghirahim gave him a suspicious look, but walked out into the sun, deciding to cross that bridge when he got there.

Shielding his eyes from the light, he pointed a long, slender finger out over the horizon, eyes trained on the peak of a distant mountain.

"There. Shai's aura is emanating strongly from there, and if I'm correct, that was once a pivotal location for gangs to meet." Ghirahim grabbed Link in his arms without waiting for permission and jumped from the ledge, softly landing out the ground and returning the hero to his own two feet.

"Ghirahim!" Link snapped, dusting himself off. "I can get down by myself, thank you."

"You're too slow."

Ghirahim smirked at Link's furious expression and walked past him, patting his head and starting towards the mountain in question. Link followed behind him, constantly watching his every move in case he tried made one wrong step. Honestly, it was kind of unnerving, and as the minutes ticked by, it got worse.

Ghirahim glanced over his shoulder, deciding it was time to strike up conversation. "So tell me, skychild, what do you know of my little iceland on the Surface?"

There was a brief silence, and then Link said, "It has snow."

Ghirahim nodded, trying to hold back a sarcastic, patronizing response. "Yes, it does. Anything else?"

"I never knew there were more demons… I mean, other than you."

Ghirahim nodded, liking this reply much better than the previous one. "Not a lot of humans realize it, but there are many of us living on the Surface. In fact, my castle presides in the capital of Axialis, and there are many other towns scattered throughout this land."

Link jogged for a moment to catch up, as he had been falling behind, and now he was walking right beside his enemy, hand no longer on his sword. "You mentioned gangs. What are those?"

Ghirahim shrugged his shoulders, holding his hands up in a gesture of ignorance. "It's different each time. Most of them are thugs who use their powers to control others and exploit them. They ravage the towns and loot everything they can. Then there are some that are less harmless and are say… a band of adventurers. Or something of the like."

Link shoved his hands into his pockets, a slight shiver traveling through his body as the cold wind licked his face, the base of the mountain now beneath their feet. "Wow…" he breathed, staring up at the massive highland before them. "What do you call this place?"

"Never thought of a name for it." Ghirahim started trudging up the slopes, an air of casual determination about him. "I was going to—along with many other landmarks in this area—but right about that time, Shai came into my life and…" Ghirahim chuckled softly, his nimble fingers rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, little boys disrupt one's schedule."

Link was silent after that, and then he stopped walking. Ghirahim also halted and looked at the boy with irritation. "Come along, skychild. I don't have all day."

Link straightened up and squared his shoulders, meeting Ghirahim's gaze evenly as he bit out a question. "What is Shai to you?"

Ghirahim looked startled, and for a few moments he stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed before righting himself. "W-well, he's… a good slave… and he's—"

"No. He's not just a slave. You wouldn't come out here for that. What _is _he to you?"

"He's… well, he's a… Shai is simply—"

Their conversation was cut short as a massive chunk of rock slammed into the cliffside above them and sent a shower of stones rumbling down. Ghirahim grabbed the hero's arm and ran up the hill, pulling him away from the impending destruction.

"You need to work out, Link!" Ghirahim shouted over the roar of the avalanche.

"What happened?!" Link freed his arm and picked up speed, glancing over his shoulder at the impending death.

Ghirahim opened his mouth to respond, but another boulder just like the last hit the rock and snow above, ricocheting down to the land below. "I'll explain later!" Ghirahim shouted, running faster still as they approached an opening in the wall before them.

Another rock hit the mount, and Link stumbled sideways, losing his balance on the edge of the trail. He backpedalled, trying to remain upright, but yet another rock hit and Link lurched backwards. Ghirahim caught his arm at the last second and dragged him back onto the snow, pushing him out in front and running towards the cave.

"Get in, get in, get in!" he shouted, giving Link a final shove and sending them both tumbling into the pitch blackness as ice, snow, and stone barreled past them, sealing them in.

"Don't stop running," Ghirahim commanded, pushing Link from behind.

"What?" Link asked, trying to turn around and see the danger.

"Go!"

Ghirahim gave him a good shove, but a cracking sound split the air and the tremors beneath their feet started up again.

"Ghirahim, what's going on?" Link panicked, starting to run as the demon had said.

Ghirahim didn't reply, but continued edging him on from behind.

Link let out a shout as the earth beneath his feet lurched upwards, sending him and Ghirahim sprawling to the ground. Ghirahim grabbed onto him, trying to pull them to their feet, but a sudden pain seared through his body and everything went black.

* * *

><p>It was dark… It was dark and scary and cold. Chains were wound around his wrists, and a gag stopped his voice. His sight was as good as nothing beneath the sack over his head, and he let out a soft groan, a dull ache permeating his battered, bloody form.<p>

A hand roughly seized his chin and tore the cloth from his mouth, several coughs racking his chest. "Wh-where am I?"

"You're in a small cave several miles north of your precious master's location," a voice snarled, not a hint of mercy or generosity present.

"Who are you, and why did you bring me here?"

"You don't need to know that yet."

He struggled against the chains, gritting his teeth as they bit into his flesh. "Who is your master? Or are you operating alone."

"Master prefers to remain anonymous."

_So he's following someone else's orders…_

"What are you going to do with me?" he snapped. "Should I expect food or am I going to die here?"

A cruel chuckle filled the air, and soft footsteps echoed through the spacious chamber they were in. "If you cooperate, no harm will befall you. That much I can promise."

"And if I don't?"

"Well…" The laughter came again. "Things won't go so well for you and your loved ones then."

"My loved ones?" A chill ran up and down his spine, and his stomach began to twist into knots.

"Oh, yes. I know _everything _about you."

"Everything?" He kept his voice angry and cynical, but on the inside, he began to panic.

"_Everything, _little Shaika."

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: No, this is not turning into GhiraLink. I suppose if you wanted to see their little cuddle session as shonen-ai, you could, but it wasn't intended to be. The physical presence of someone else makes pain less scary. Ghirahim is trying to get Link to trust him so he can get his Shai back.<br>**

**I realize Ghirahim is saving Link a lot, but I'm going to have Link do some saving, too. It's just that right now, Link is unfamiliar\inexperienced with the area\situation and Ghirahim is not. That will change in the next couple chappies, and Link will shine, too.**

**Please Review!**


	11. The Belly of the Beast

**A\N: Whoo! Another chapter! So, this is gonna be a rough weekend for me. I work tonight and Sunday and I'm going a funeral on Saturday SO... Plus, after that I have some school to catch up on (EVALUATION WHOOT WHOOT) and I want to work on more of my personal stories that are not fanfiction so I might take a little break from these stories. But don't worry, I'll be back soon enough!**

**I would like to thank: henslight, meijosui, HextheDaydreamer, Sideways Jill, daMikuofAZ, Cold Calico, ?, NeonDystortion, WolfRunner326, TNTKitten, WolfenAmphithere, zelda3469, Roowbin, OrangeDragonofDusk, and Mental Angel for multiple reviews! And I would also like to thank: Kyra, CheerfulBubbles369, Shora, TheMysticalQ, Leeyydybear, Some-One's-There, Whisperinmyear23, Kaiyt, Define Sugar, MangaGeek26, Natalie, Laureen lycan, and animefreak114 for reviewing this story! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! :D**

**Now, without further ado... PLEASE ENJOY, I LOVE YOU ALL, PLEASE REVIEW, AND GO! :D**

* * *

><p>"Ghirahim… Ghirahim…"<p>

The voice came from a distance, and it held a worried tone. Vaguely, it registered in Ghirahim's mind that he should heed it, or at least try to make out what it was saying. But he was so tired… he was oh, so tired…

"Ghirahim…ake…kay…?"

His head throbbed, and the person speaking to him blurred in and out. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, and for some reason, he was panicked about something, though he couldn't put his finger on what. Everything was so dull and quiet.

"…him…up…!'

Something brushed against his arm, and he groaned, pain searing through his entire body and jolting him into a somewhat clearer stake of mind.

"Ghirahim, wake up. Come on, wake up!"

A hard shake sent more shivers of pain through his body, and he let out another soft moan, clenching and unclenching his hand as control over his senses returned to him. But… why was he in so much pain? And why did it feel like a heavy weight was crushing his legs?

"Ghirahim, it's Link. Wake up!"

Another shove, and his body convulsed without his consent, jerking him fully awake. "Wh-what? Where—" His voice was cut off by a violent cough and a cry of pain as he realized what his predicament was. Something sharp and metal had been driven through his abdomen, and his waist on down was covered by rocks from the avalanche. "Well… this is problematic…" he grunted, trying to raise himself from the debris.

"Can you teleport out?"

"And risk another avalanche? I don't think so, skychild."

Link fidgeted beside his head—or at least that's what it sounded like. It was too dark to see.

"I got the blood flow around the shrapnel to stop, but…" Link pressed his hands onto the cloth surrounding the impaling spear.

"I would be able to give much more assistance if we could see…" Ghirahim mused, trying to feel around to get a grasp on his surroundings.  
>"See?" Link paused. "Stay right here."<p>

Ghirahim frowned as he heard the scuffing of boots and the sound of rocks scraping on rocks, but after a few moments, Link returned. He felt around for Ghirahim's shoulder, and upon finding it, travelled down to his hand and shoved something into it.

"It's wood. Can you try that fire spell?" Link asked, a slight bit of hope playing with his voice.

Ghirahim sighed, seizing the stick and trying to ignore the piercing agony that split his very core every time he moved. "I can try, but even when I had the book in front of me it wasn't working out too well." Ghirahim focused hard, gathering what little energy he had into the center of his being. He extended his hand, feeling a soft tingle travel down his spine to his fingers. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he brought his fingers together and snapped.

"Woah!"

Link jumped at the sudden shower of sparks, and Ghirahim sighed, shaking his head as the room receded into darkness. "We need flames, not fireworks."

"Try again," Link encouraged, the rustle of his clothing heard as he moved about anxiously.

"Very well…"

Once again, Ghirahim focused. Just like last time, he brought the energy down to his hand and prepared to snap. Then suddenly, he stopped.  
>"Wait a minute… let me try something a little different."<p>

Ghirahim drew the power back into his center and held his hand to his collarbone, drawing the limb close to himself. He readied himself and inhaled deeply, snapping his fingers and throwing his arm forwards. The energy coursed through is muscles and spazzed at his fingers, spraying white-hot flames over the wood, igniting it instantly.

"Yes!" Link smiled, and Ghirahim nodded to him, both of their eyes quickly adjusting to this new setting of light.

Link took the torch and dug a small hole, planting it in the ground and stabilizing it before returning to the demon's side and rubbing his hands together.

"Alright, let's see what we can do."

* * *

><p>The once black world slowly faded into cool light, the room he presided in taking a bluish shade as sunlight streamed in from above. A skilled tongue ran over parched lips, and Shai raised his head slowly, scanning the room for any respite from the pain he was in. Water, food, warmth, fairies, healing potions—anything! Anything to decrease the agony he felt.<p>

"What's the matter, slave? Aren't you comfortable?"

Shai refused to answer his tormentor, and instead examined the skylight, marveling in the glorious way it was constructed. If nothing else, his abductors knew wonderful architects.

"Hey!"

Shai grimaced as a fist sank into his shoulder, aggravating the dislocated joint and causing sparks of pain to prickle down his arm and chest. "Yes?" he asked politely, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

"I asked you a question."

"Yes." He nodded, but said no more on the subject, merely wincing when his hair was seized by a course hand.

"So _answer _it!"

Shai smirked at him, turning his nose slightly. "It's extremely probable you have no actual desire to assimilate my observation of the current situation and are merely looking for personal gratification derived from my futile struggling against what you believe to be your superior supremacy. So no."

The man gave him an odd look, the stench of alcohol emanating from his slightly opened mouth.

"Did you even understand what I just said?"

Shai tensed as a fist slammed full-force into his cheek and send both him and the chair he was tied to toppling onto the ground.

"Shut up, you little smart mouth."

"Well, it's a heck of a lot smarter than yours." Shai grinned playfully. It was an awful habit, this defiance, but he couldn't help enjoying the enraged look on the kidnappers face when Shai said the things he did.

The brute stalked over to him and raised him from the ground by the shirtfront, drawing their faces close together and glaring daggers at the small form in his hands.

"The boss man might want you alive, kid, but don't think I can't make you wish you were dead."

Shai shivered despite himself, but put on a brave front and merely asked, "Is that supposed to scare me?"

He let out a cruel chuckle, placing Shai and his chair on the ground and locking the legs of the seat in place. He clapped his hands together and a long, black whip appeared in his hands. "If that doesn't… maybe this will."

Shai maintained his poker face, but inside he was terrified. It had been nearly two years since he was whipped, and that was from Master, who knew Shai's limits and wasn't out to completely mutilate him.

_Master… please hurry…_

* * *

><p>"Ghirahim, this isn't working…"<p>

Ghirahim couldn't disagree with that statement. It had been at least an hour since they had begun trying to get the rocks off of Ghirahim, but it was obvious from very near the beginning that it was going to be little more than impossible.

If Ghirahim teleported out, the rocks would cave it, and they had nothing to replace the rocks with to keep it up. If the exit were slower and steadier, there was a chance Ghirahim could get out without causing another avalanche, but so far that hadn't worked because of just how many rocks were pinning him down. Add to that the fact that his blood loss was increasing, which weakened him and made him blank out every now and then.

"Dangit… it isn't working…"

Link sounded worried, and Ghirahim could see the panic flashing through the young hero's eyes. The demon's own gaze softened, and he tossed Link a weak smile.

"I'm quite alright, Link. It's Shai I'm worried about. I can sense a heavy aura of…" He shook his head. "Pure malice. It's radiating from this place."

Link bit his lip, looking down the tunnel, and then turned back to Ghirahim. There was a long silence between them, and then Link shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "What do I do?"

Ghirahim raised his eyebrow, smirking a little. "Asking me for help, are we?"

Link frowned. "Ghirahim, knock it off! What do I do?"

Ghirahim gave him a genuine smile, reaching up and fingering the blonde's cheek despite the vicious glare and pure agony searing through his body like white-hot fire. "Go down this tunnel and search for Shai. With Fi's help and the hero's blood you have running through your veins... you'll know what to do."

"Wait, you want me to leave you here?" Link shouted, grabbing Ghirahim's wrist and tearing it away as he jumped to his feet. "Why? And how do I know what I'm up against? I need your magic, and I can't navigate these halls alone! Besides, it's your slave, and you were supposed to help me—"

"Link!"

The hero went silent, and Ghirahim spoke in a soft but commanding tone. "I am of no use to you this way. Even if I _did _get out, my magic would be next to nothing and sword fighting almost impossible. You didn't know what you were up against when the Spirit Maiden went missing, but you went anyways. This is no different."

"Yes it is!" Link objected. "Shai doesn't have the powers Zelda does, and he doesn't have an Impa to save him if I'm too late. I almost failed _so _many times…" Link turned down the hall, glaring into the darkness.

"Shai doesn't need those things. Shai just wants you to try, and I'm sure we'll fill in the gaps." Ghirahim struggled not to black out as blood seeped into his once pristine, white hair.

"I'm… I'm sick of this, Ghirahim."

Ghirahim stopped, jerking himself awake and turning confused eyes to Link. "What?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore, and it's driving me crazy," Link said, as if that would explain everything.

"Skychild, you're not making any sense."

Link whirled on him. "How is it possible that my once sworn enemy who took away my freedom, tortured me endlessly, threw trial after trial in my way, and tried to stop me at all costs is a better companion than the person I was trying to save?!" Link gasped as soon as the words left his mouth, and he backed up, covering his open maw, eyes wide with shock.

Ghirahim watched him for several moments, slowly raising his head from the floor. "Skychild, what—"

"Nevermind. Nothing. Forget I said that." Link's face turned a heavy shade of red. "I'm going to find Shai."

Ghirahim heard his footsteps disappear down the long corridor, and he lowered himself to the ground again. Hissing in pain, he let his head hit the cold earth, and his eyes started to close.

_I suppose… it was frustrating for him to do everything for her… and get next to nothing in return… And she never traveled with him. To have to adventure all alone… with only a mechanical sword spirit as a companion… is a truly lonely and probably scary experience. But why… why does he think I am any better?_

Ghirahim wanted desperately to continue thinking about this and try to find an answer, but sleep was creeping in, and in a momentary lapse of vigilance, it overtook him, rendering him unconscious.

* * *

><p>Zelda tapped her chin meticulously, watching Link's empty seat with a worried and slightly angry expression. It had been days since Link had gone to the Surface and still he wasn't back. It was both frustrating and frightening not knowing where he was, and after a few more moments of thought, Zelda excused herself, claiming she was sick.<p>

After she stepped outside, she had a moment to gather her thoughts.

_Missing Link, missing Loftwings, an eruption at Eldin… What could be causing all—_

And then it dawned on her.

_Ghirahim._

* * *

><p>Shai gasped in pain as the whip befell him again, and he bowed his head as blood seeped into his pants, sliding down his torso and arms and pooling on the stones beneath him. Sweat poured down his forehead, and saliva dripped from his mouth as a scream ripped from his throat again.<p>

The resounding crack filled the air again, heedless to the young demon's pain, and a shudder racked his body as tears mingled with the blood that stained his cheeks red.

_I refuse… I refuse to beg for mercy… I will scream and cry, but I will not beg. I will not…_

His resolve was strong, and though he could do nothing to stop his shrieks, his mouth made indecipherable sounds and no words.

_I can hear… Green Link? Is that you?_

A small spark of hope lit his eyes, but again the leather struck him, and he jolted away from the pain, hissing as a shower of blood splattered against the icy floor.

_Where is Master, Green Link? I thought… I thought you would work together…_

The whip ceased its oncoming assault, and Shai collapsed on the chair, panting as the sharp agony faded away, replaced by a dull, throbbing ache.

"Learned your lesson, Shai? Or wasn't three hundred lashes enough?"

Shai kept his mouth shut, having nothing to say to this man but hateful words, and not wanting to claim more punishments for himself.

"Answer me!"

A sharp kick sent him tumbling off of the chair and into a wall. He groaned, struggling to his knees and glaring through matted, ebony bangs at his captor. "Yes…" he ground out. "I've learned… sir."

A cruel smirk twisted the brunette's features, his yellow eyes like that of a devil as they leered at the broken boy before him. "You will call me Master, thank you very much."

Shai bristled, his fangs peeking out past his lips. His head snapped up, and he spat in the man's face. "Not on your life!"

A fist plunged into his gut, and he squealed like a wild dog, recoiling in pain.

"Fine. We'll keep this up until you change your mind."

Shai dragged a hand over his mouth, streaking blood over his cheek to his ear. "Do it."

* * *

><p>Link's feet pounded into the dirt as he thundered through the halls, sword extended in front of him as he dowsed for Shai's aura with his blade. If Fi hadn't been able to gather a recollection of what Shai's presence looked like, Link didn't know what he would have done. This place was a labyrinth!<p>

"Fi, how far away from Shai are we?"

"My calculations indicate we will arrive at Shaika's location within fifteen minutes, assuming we keep this pace."

Link panted, nodding his head and pushing his hair from his eyes. "Sorry for kind of ignoring you lately."

"It's alright, Master. I quite like this turn of events. Your relationship with Ghirahim is—"

"Woah!" Link exclaimed, turning down a hall to the right. "There is no relationship between Ghirahim and I! We're just doing this for Shai. That's it."

"Master, that is not what my readings indicate."

"Well _my _readings indicate you're wrong."

Fi paused, and then propelled from the blade and appeared in front of him, her blue eyes flashing with a sort of emotion he had never seen in her before.

"Master, this nonsense has to stop! The truth of the matter is this: You have seen a new side of Ghirahim, and you very much enjoy it. You are having second thoughts about his status as an enemy, and the longer you deny this, the worse your confusion will become. As the chosen Hero you do not have the option of holding grudges. You need to realize Ghirahim is no longer to get you, and let it go!"

Link blinked, still breathing heavily. Fi had never raised her voice at him before. Not only that, but what she was saying was… Dangit, it was making sense.

"I don't know, Fi… He's… He's _Ghirahim_."

"I know, Master, but you can't deny what you've seen."

Link sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No, I guess I can't, but…" He shook his head. "Let's just find Shai."

Fi frowned at him disapprovingly, but nodded her head and returned to his blade, the pull of dowsing once again directing his movements. Link saw a door in the distance and picked up his pace, grinning when he saw the aura emanating solidly from just beyond the barrier. He ran to it and grasped the door handle, pulling the heavy, solid stone out.

"Shai! Shai—"

Link gasped, his heart plummeting when he saw Shai's belt securely tied around a pole in the center of the room.

"Oh no…"

Fi levitated out of his blade and approached it. "I don't understand, Master… somehow, they must have devised a spell to take what little of his aura was on his clothing items and belongings… and amplify it so it appeared to be his entire body."

Link doubled over, exhaustion setting in. An hour and a half of running for a belt? Where was the real Shai? Was he even here?

"What… now?" he panted, leaning on his knees.

"Master… I'm afraid, considering this maze… our only option is… to follow every dowsing lead we find until we end up with the real Shaika."

Link's head bowed. "Story of my life…"

"I'm sorry, Master. If you would like me to attempt a stronger dowse, I can, but that may result in—"

"No, I can do it." He nodded, righting himself and cracking his joints. "We can do this."

Fi nodded and returned to his sword as Link turned and started down the darkened halls again.

_Don't worry, Shai. I'm coming for you!_

* * *

><p>Ghirahim gasped as pain roused him from his sleep, and he attempted to roll over, clutching at his afflicted stomach with tears in his eyes. The agony only increased, and something was pinning his legs to the floor.<p>

Oh, right… the rocks. The avalanche… Link… the blood…

The fire had gone out, and he was all alone in the pitch black. Shai was who knew where and dealing with who knew what, and Link was trying to find him with who knew how many difficulties.

A low chuckle formed in his throat, slowly growing in pitch and volume until a shrill laugh filled the air, echoing down the hollow passages.

"So much blood, teehee!" He splashed his hands in the crimson that pooled around him. "Blood loss is ruuuuuushing to my head!"

His voice cracked, head lolling to the side.

_Everything hurts… I'm slipping… it's all… black. Everything is just going black._

A loud rumble caught his ears, but he didn't have the strength to panic. He knew another aftershock was coming, and he knew it meant he was going to be crushed beneath a flood of rocks and debris, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

The stones around his body began to shake and move, and blackness surged through his mind, pushing him into an odd state of semi-consciousness. The shaking and roaring increased, pounding against his eardrums and rumbling through his chest. Agony blazed through his nerves and twisted his body furiously. A scream ripped from his throat and then—

Silence.

Then footsteps, and soft voices.

"It's Lord Ghirahim!"

"Look at all that blood!"

"What do we do?"

"I don't know, but we have to help him?"

"Where's the Hero?"

"I don't see him. Hero? Hero! Oh, what's his name?"

"I'll be darned if I remember."

"Let's just worry about Lord Ghirahim!"

"Wah! The blood is scary!"

"Shh! Don't cry! It's alright!"

Gentle fingers brushed against his forehead, and a soft voice whispered in his ear, warm breath tickling his ears.

"We're going to get you back on your feet. Don't worry about a thing."

Ghirahim's lips parted, a 'thank you' dancing on his tongue, but unconsciousness claimed his mind before he had the chance to say it.

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: BLEH! Cruddy chapter... *dies* Oh, well... I tried! I liked the end but there were some parts in between that were just AUUUUUUGH. BLEH.<strong>


	12. Pressing On

"Master Ghirahim, it's time to wake up now."

His eyes fluttered and then open, but the light burned like fire, and he quickly closed them again. Groaning, he pulled himself haphazardly into a sitting position and groped around for something familiar. A hand clasped his own, and he forced his eyes to focus on the demon next to him.

"Kanji?"

"Hello, Master."

"When did…?" It was then that Ghirahim looked around and saw several of his faithful servants watching him with anxious expressions.

"Are you alright, Lord Ghirahim?" Coryai asked timidly.

"I doubt it." Tovi shook his head, and Ghirahim had to smile at the irony.

"Sir, if I could know your physical status, it would very much set my mind at ease." Shyra stood before him, drawn up to her full height and standing rigid as always.

Ghirahim slowly pulled himself to his feet, doubling over when pain seared through his midsection like fire in his veins.

"Master!" Kanji exclaimed, reaching over to support him.

"No, no, I'm fine." He gripped the wound with his hand and straightened up, looking at the four demons in front of him. "I thought I heard Kishira before I passed out. Where is she?"

Shyra saluted. "Sir, the young girl was terribly frightened at the mere sight of blood, and we decided it was best to return her to the castle with the doctor. Coryai returned her via teleportation."

Ghirahim nodded, brushing his hair back out of his eyes and looking towards the mountain looming behind them.

"I take it Link and Shai are still in there."

Shyra's hand remained in position. "Yes, sir."

Ghirahim sighed, removing his hand from the gash and sighing. "What a bother… Tovi, I need some supplies—stat. Just get the usual."

"Yes, Lord Ghirahim."

Just like that, the red demon was gone.

"Coryai, position yourself at the top of this mount and stop any impending avalanches or aftershocks. Also keep an eye out for other dangers or invaders."

"Yes, Lord Ghirahim."

Coryai followed his brother's example, and Ghirahim turned to Kanji and Shyra.

"You two come with me."

Kanji seized Ghirahim's arm and gave him a hard stare. "Master, you are severely wounded and have lost extreme amounts of blood. Please, let me go ahead and scope it out and return with word."

"Kanji, I do not need—"

"Master, please," Kanji breathed, and Ghirahim easily read the desperation in his eyes.

Letting out a heavy sigh, he seated himself in the dirt and gave a wave of his hand. "Very well, go on ahead. I'll wait here."

Kanji bowed briefly and then tore up the mountain trail. Ghirahim watched him leave, and then turned his gaze to Shyra.

"Do we, by any chance, have potions on us, Shyra?"

"No, Lord Ghirahim. I can retrieve some if you so wish."

Ghirahim sighed, wondering how to go about telling her what was on his mind. Long ago, the two had been friends, maybe something more… but as he had done with so many who were faithful to him, he kicked them to the curb when his desire to please his master and himself began to take control of his life.

Clearing his throat, he rose to his feet and pressed a hand to the oozing hole. "I would like that, Shyra."

She nodded emotionlessly and disappeared in a puff of blue smoke, returning seconds later with a red potion in her outstretched hand. He tossed her a cheeky smile, grabbing the elixir from her hand.

"You can come closer you know. I don't bite—usually."

She didn't smile or laugh and remained at a distance.

"Shyra, I…" Ghirahim rubbed the back of his neck, shifting from one foot to the other. "Look, I know I hurt you. I hurt a lot of people but… I'm trying to make up for it. If you could just… give me another chance. Just to be friends even…"

She stared at him, her eyes blank and telling him nothing.

"I could order you, you know. I could _order_ you to forgive me." His voice lowered to a growl, and he quickly stopped himself, clearing his throat and giving himself a moment before continuing. "I'm choosing not to. I'll let you decide when you're ready, but I won't beg, either."

Feeling a little frustrated with her, he turned away and removed the cork, gulping down the potion and dropping the bottle to the ground. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and moved towards the mountains, looking for Kanji though Shyra was still present in his mind.

_Shai is much more receptive than her… I suppose it's because he's a child._

He sighed, shaking his head.

_No, he's not a child anymore. He's a young man. And I _missed _it… What was I thinking? What came over me?_

Ghirahim stopped and turned back around, going towards the other trails to the left of the main escalation. He remembered what Shai had requested of him shortly before his disappearance.

_Turn on Master? How could I? He is my Master. He _owns _me. I have always been loyal to him, and without a Master I'm as good as nothing! After everything I've given up for him—_

That thought stopped him, and he sat down on a large boulder, picking up a stick and doodling in the sod.

_Everything I gave up for him… Shai… Kanji… Shyra… relationships with all of my slaves… my armies… my home… _The thoughts picked up speed as his anger grew. _My powers, my magic, my time, my freedom, my health, my sanity! I gave up every other meal so I could study longer, I trained the world's most vicious fighting force and appointed the best officials to serve him, I riddled the land with monsters and destruction, I fought long and hard against resistance and have the scars to prove it, I struggled, I sweated, I bled, I cried, I almost lost my life more than once! And for what?!_

Ghirahim chucked the stick into the woods, successfully killing a Maren Jay and splattering its blood over the tree on which it had perched. His arm tingled with the anger that had channeled through his body and left with the stick.

The rage slowly dwindled, and he lowered himself to his rock again.

_Yet he is still my master… I can't betray him… I can't…_

* * *

><p>Link slumped against the wall, panting and wheezing as sweat dripped down his forehead and soaked his clothing. For a snow-capped mountain in a land of ice, it was getting humid in the tight and winding chambers, and the fact that he was running around like a chicken with its head cut off didn't help anything.<p>

So far, he had recovered Shai's belt, shoes, face mask, cape, earrings, and stuffed wolf. Though some of the objects—namely the wolf—seemed odd for a demon to own, he grabbed them all and kept them in his adventure pouch.

"Master, my calculations estimate that you can take a fifteen minute rest without it affecting the final conclusion of this mission in a negative way. Twenty minutes will affect it, but only up to 5%."

Link doubled over, resting his hands on his knees and taking steady, slow breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth.

"I'm okay, Fi. I just need a few seconds."

"Master, not only do my observations disagree with this statement, but I have determined that a short rest will increase your chances of victory."

Link lowered himself to the floor, still trying to catch his breath. "Whatever… wins the fight I… suppose."

Fi nodded, materializing completely and landing solidly on the floor. "Master, I have noticed a pattern with your form of mission undertaking. May I speak it to you now?"

Link nodded tiredly.

"You seem to rush into missions head on, sometimes without preparation, and almost always determined to push yourself to the limit in order to win. Many of the missions you have undergone did not need to be so hard, and…" Her voice trailed at this, and Link looked up, surprised. She had never withheld information before!

"What?" he asked, finally steadying his heart rate.

"I do not wish to sound arrogant, Master, but had you taken my advice on several occasions, things could have been much easier."

Link spluttered, and then sat upright, growing a little defensive.

"Like when?!"

"Like when I told you to climb over the rubble at the gate of time instead of going through the Lanayru Mining Facility."

"Okay, well, the land needed fixing anyways."

"Like when I told you to wait until you made it through the smog of Eldin to open your sailcloth."

"I didn't hear you right! There was… ash in my ears."

"Like when I—"

"Okay! Okay!" Link threw his hands up, and then lowered his head, sighing heavily. "It's just that when Zelda's life is on the line, I get really worried. I just… I want to be there with her. I think about her all the time… and it… scares me."

Fi nodded sympathetically—oh, yes, sympathy was a recently acquired understanding—and put a hand on his shoulder. "Master, I know you don't do it intentionally, I am just asking that you listen to my council this time. Shai needs you to be calm and collected."

"Well, what about all of those times you gave me information I didn't need? And wasted my time?"

"Like when?" she snapped.

"Like when you told me my wallet was full."

"Well, I thought maybe…"

"Like when told me a door was locked when it was obvious."

"In some cases the light was dim!"

"Like when you—"

"Alright, that's enough, Master."

Link laughed out loud, and Fi gathered a small chuckle. "I suppose we're not the greatest team ever," he mused.

"No, Master, but we certainly try. And accomplish our goals, do we not?"

"True." Link nodded, and then clapped his hands, getting to his feet and helping her up. "Alright, let's do this!"

Fi disappeared into his blade, and he took off down the hall, smiling slightly at their conversation.

_We really do make a great team… An awkward but great team._

* * *

><p>Kanji flipped from ledge to ledge, grasping the rocks in strong, slender fingers. He could sense Shai—smell him even. Ever since the two were young they were very close and had this sort of sixth sense about each other. As they got older, it only grew, and Kanji could feel Shai's presence as if it were a tangible object.<p>

Kanji gasped, nearly falling from his high ledge, and he clung to the outcropping above him, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths.

"Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down…"

Slowly opening his eyes, he pulled himself up onto the foothold and continued his trek.

It was a strenuous task, this climbing, and even though Kanji could feel Shai so strongly, he couldn't reach him or figure out where on the inside he was. Even worse, he couldn't tell where Link was, and he had no way of giving the hero instructions. But Shai was in such pain…

Kanji whipped a stray tear from his eyes and shook his head.

"He'll be okay. Shai is strong, and he'll be fine. Heck, _they'll _be the ones needing help when the lot of us get to him!"

With this new, encouraging through echoing in his mind, he jumped to the ledge above him and increased his pace, marking several spots with his bright, orange magic so he knew where to return to. After all, the quickest way through a labyrinth was to teleport, and who better to transport the three demons than Ghirahim himself?

* * *

><p>Shai panted, dragging himself to his feet and turning to meet his enemy for the millionth time, blood falling from his lips and splattering against the filthy stones. He dragged his hand over his mouth, glaring daggers at his captor, wondering if these recent thoughts of torture and revenge were a trait received from his master when he was made a demon.<p>

"You look tired, Shai."

Shai ignored him, knowing if he focused on his exhaustion, it would only become more potent. Instead, he focused on breathing and plotting ways to end this man's life. Eyes blazing, he began to growl, razor sharp fangs poking through his busted lips.

A surge of energy hit him, and he ran forwards at full speed, jumping up and spinning around midair, landing three decisive kicks to his opponents face. He landed solidly and jumped up, flipping forward and going for another kick, only to have his ankle seized by the man's hand. He felt himself swung around, and then his back, neck, and head exploded in agony as stars danced through his vision.

He hit the ground with a thud and struggled to get to his feet, collapsing more than once as the demon approached.

"You're pathetic." He tisked, shaking his head. "Just like your Master."

Shai knew it was just an attempt to rouse his anger. He knew it was a plan. He knew there was no point in fighting. He know it was futile to jump to his feet, lunge forward blindly and punch the man square in the face, but he did it anyways.

The response was less than desirable.

The kidnapper seized his wrist before it reached his face and did to Shai what Shai had been planning to do to him. Shai stumbled back on impact, but the man wouldn't release his arm, and the next thing Shai knew, nothing but pure, burning agony detonated throughout his crotch, sending him to the floor.

He grit his teeth, tears sliding down his cheeks as he fought long and hard to deny the pain, but his stomach began to church and after a few moments of silent tears, he dropped his head and vomited. His vision went black, and he started to fall, but a hand grasped the scruff of his neck.

Shai honestly wished he had fallen into his own bile.

Slowly, painfully he was lifted from the ground and carried over to a wall where chains descended from the ceiling and coiled around his wrists, holding him a little over a foot off of the ground.

"Now look at the mess you've made, Shaika. Why would you do that?"

Shai groaned, letting out a choked sob, his groin still throbbing from the forceful placement of the man's boot. The man sighed heavily, and Shai heard a soft crackle he had familiarized himself with while studying with Ghirahim in Lanayru desert.

"Do you know how many volts of electricity a human can survive?"

Shai gulped, gasping in air and keeping his eyes closed. _No… oh, please no…_

"Do you know how many volts of electricity a _demon_ can survive?"

* * *

><p>Ghirahim's head snapped up as he sensed Kanji's approach, and he ran back to where Shyra sat sharpening her blade. He tapped her on the shoulder and she glanced up.<p>

"Sir?"

"I can sense Kanji. Are you ready?"

She nodded, getting to her feet and sheathing the massive weapon. "Yes, sir."

He smirked, tapping her sheath with a bloodied, gloved finger. "You know, Shyra, we have the ability of teleportation for a _reason_."

She walked past him, a slight smirk playing at her lips. "Some of us are not as flamboyant as you, sir."

Ghirahim followed her with his eyes, noting how lovely her curves were—especially in that uniform.

_Banter. It's a start._

"Master!"

Ghirahim's ears perked up, and he snapped his fingers, closing the distance between him and his youngest slave. "Yes, what did you find?"

"I believe I have Shai's location. It's not a pinpoint, but if we could get inside, our ability to sense him could lead us through whatever parts of the maze we find ourselves in."

Ghirahim nodded, running a hand over the mostly healed injury. "Then let's get going."

"Wait a minute," said Shyra, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't use my teleportation much, but aren't we supposed to be able to think about a person and be there?"

Ghirahim gave a sharp nod, a very crisp, business-like air about him. He wanted his boy back. Now. "Yes, but as I'm sure you can feel, there is another strong magic presence here, and it seems to be causing malfunctions."

Kanji looked down at his bloodied hands and held them up to Shyra. "We're going to have to climb the mountain. Teleportation is simply unreliable right now—I nearly fell twice while climbing, and five times while teleporting."

Shyra's eyes widened slightly, and she shook her head, somewhat in disbelief. "Well, let's get to it then."

Ghirahim nodded and turned to Kanji. "Lead the way."

Kanji ran up the path with Ghirahim and Shyra on his tail.

_Don't worry, Shaika… I'm almost there. Be strong for me, okay?_

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: So a Maren Jay is just something I invented. A light blue and white bird with red undersides to it's wings. It lives in Axialis. Yup. XD<strong>

**Please review!**


	13. Coming to a Close

**A\N: Hmm... I have mixed feelings for this chapter, but as a whole, I think I like it.  
><strong>

**There is a scene with implications of Shai being sexually harassed\raped. It's not explicit, but just in case that sort of thing makes you uncomfortable, it's marked off so you can skip it. There is some innuendo afterwards, also, but that is not marked.**

**Enjoy! And please review! Thanks!**

* * *

><p>"Kanji, are you certain this was the location?" Ghirahim asked, jumping from ledge to ledge with relative ease, stopping only when the pain in his abdomen increased enough to take his breath away. Shyra was directly behind him, and Kanji was far out in front.<p>

"Sir, I believe your question went unheard."

He gave her a nod, stopping on a narrow outcropping and steadying himself before releasing the rock wall and cupping his hands around his mouth. "Kanji!"

His voice echoed through the range, and the young demon turned around, face flushed at having not heard his master's call sooner. He ran back as fast as he could, stopping before Ghirahim and staring up at him, worry creasing his brow.

"I'm sorry, Master, I couldn't hear you. What is it?"

"Are you certain this was the location you sensed him in?"

Kanji nodded, determination dominating his features. "Yes, Master, this was most definitely the place." He turned slightly, pointing towards the small orange light in the distance. "I marked of the perimeter with my magic. We're almost there."

Ghirahim sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Very well."

"Master, if you need to take another rest—"

"I'm fine. Let's keep going."

Kanji nodded and moved forwards, keeping himself at a steady pace so he didn't get too far ahead. Ghirahim followed him, a dry laugh escaping his numb lips.

"Where's my mysterious note-giver now?"

Shyra gave him an odd look flipping over the ledge below him and throwing her leg up so her book hooked on the next ledge and she was able to swing up behind him.

"Oh, when I first escaped Link's blade I was getting all of these notes from some mystery person. I won't lie—some of it was very helpful."

Shyra frowned. "Do you have any idea who it was? It could have been the kidnappers themselves."

Ghirahim scratched his chin. "No, no there was something very familiar about these notes. Of course, now that I need it, I'm not going to be able to recall it. It was something that was said, I remember that much, and I thought to myself, 'Huh, I've heard this before'. It was a rather odd set of events."

Kanji swallowed hard and pointed up ahead. "Can we please hurry, Master?"

"I'm trying, Kanji, but I am in severe pain at the moment."

"But, Master—"

Ghirahim stopped and took a deep breath, running forwards and jumping from the ledge he was on. He felt down a few levels and seized a small handhold, swinging himself up so he could a ledge with his foot. He ran across that and jumped again, repeating the process, but this time forming a sword in his hand and thrusting it into the mountain side as he swung, giving him an extra boost that pushed him to the first orange mark Kanji had made.

He dusted off his hands, glancing over his shoulders with a smirk on his face. The two demons sped up, and Ghirahim moved towards the center of the circle Kanji had made, his sense of Shai growing the closer he got to the center.

_Almost there…_

"Kanji, Shyra, hurry it up!"

The duo soon arrived, edged on by their lord's voice, and the trio stood at the center of the circle.

"Kanji, this is what you had marked, but the aura's center is much further that way."

Kanji placed his hand on the rock, eyes widening. "But it was right here!"

Shyra examined the rock and then moved towards Ghirahim claimed the aura to be. "Perhaps he's escaped, sir."

Ghirahim rubbed his chin, folding his arms over his chest. "Perhaps it's a trap."

Shyra unsheathed her sword, motioning for Kanji to come closer, which he did. "Tell me where the aura is."  
>"Now? It's right… there." Kanji pointed a few yards to her right, and she jumped the gap, stabbing her saber into the mountain side. "Tell me if it moves."<p>

Ghirahim followed them over, slightly curious. "What exactly are we doing?"

"I'm marking where it is, and he's paying attention to where it's going so you can intercept it when you teleport, sir."

Ghirahim smirked, crossing his arms again. "Oh? And since when do you call the shots?"

"Sir, if it's a trap, we escape. If it's Shaika, we've arrived. If it's the enemy, we interrogate. It's a very simple process we are undertaking here."

Ghirahim grinned, fangs peeking between his lips. "Very well. I see the logic in that."

"It's moving eastward, Master."

Ghirahim dashed ahead and moved to a position that was a few yards ahead of the travelling aura. Shyra stopped on his left, and Kanji landed on the ledge to his right. "We have one shot at this," he mumbled, taking each of their hands and focusing all of the energy he had reserved for the past few hours. "Let's make this happen."

He closed his eyes and held on tight, diamonds exploding around them as they were sucked into the depths of the mountain.

* * *

><p>Link sighed, meeting another dead end and starting back down the way he had come. Fi walked beside him, marking the wall with her recently acquired fingers with a bluish white light.<p>

"Where to now, Fi?"

He let out a yawn, covering his mouth as they trudged through the hall.

"The next aura I sense is coming from that hall. We are running out of auras, though, so we must be getting close to the real one."

Link smiled weakly, giving her a thumbs up. "That's a little encouraging at least." He paused, turning to the left and continuing, trying more than once to pick up speed but failing. "How long have we been here, Fi?"

"Three hours, twenty-seven minutes, forty-eight seconds and two tenths of a second, Master."

Link nodded. "Got it." He pulled himself into a semi-trot and managed to keep this pace for a little ways, slowly approaching the aura.

"So, Fi… considering Ghirahim's injuries… how do you think he is?"

Fi paused, and then shook her head. "Master, I do not believe that, without assistance, he could have made it. The chance of him still being alive rests at 1.5%."

"Oh…"

Link frowned, wondering why that bothered him so much. The Demon Lord was evil, right? Link had banished him. The torture, the monsters, the destruction, trying to take over the world, hurting Zelda—that was all Ghirahim. So… why? Why did he feel bad for leaving the demon beneath a giant mound of rubble?

Link suddenly jerked to a halt as an echoing sound like an ornament shattering filled the small corridor. He looked around, but saw nothing. He turned to Fi, but she merely shrugged her shoulders, having seen nothing herself.

He began to walk slowly forward.

"Wha—OOF!"

Link hit the ground as a mass of flesh and bone fell on top of him, sending him to the floor.

"Ow, my head!"

"Honestly, sir, that could have gone much smoother."

"Well, _pardon me_."

"Master, I recant my previous assessment of Ghirahim's life status. It has been changed to 100%."

"Ooh! Is this Link?"

Link let out a shout as the owner of the last voice landed a hefty smack to his bottom. "Hey!" He threw them off, sitting up and whirling around, glaring at him.

Ghirahim tossed him a playful grin, running a tongue over his lips. "Come on, skychild, you know I was just kidding." Ghirahim stood and brushed himself off, pulling Kanji and Shyra to their feet.

Link stuck his tongue out and turned away, heading down the hall. "So you're alive?"

"No, actually. I died." Ghirahim smirked at him as he passed. "Shai is this way."

"Possibly," Link said, shrugging his shoulders.

Ghirahim tossed him a glance. "Possibly? I think I know how to sense my own servant, Link."

Link held up his bundle of Shai's stuff. "They've covered all of his things in his aura."

Ghirahim sighed, rubbing his forehead. "That means he could be anywhere… this would explain why the teleport was messed up. It would also explain why his aura was moving. It was probably you we were sensing."

Link nodded. "Yup. I have been through practically every hall in this mountain. I'm going to kill something soon."

Kanji ducked behind his master, and Ghirahim laughed. "If anything, he'll kill me, child."

Link didn't respond to that. He didn't really know how to. It was so weird that Ghirahim had just shown up and they were now working together again as if nothing had happened. No questions, no conversation… just jumping into the mission. Ghirahim's 'advance' hadn't bothered him, either. He was used to the demon's jokes, and he knew there was nothing serious about it. It was… weird. But nice.

"Is there anything your magic can do?"

Ghirahim shook his head, tossing his bangs back. "I'm afraid everything about this mountain is anti-magic-operating-the-way-I-want-it-to. It was a struggle just to get here. I suppose we'll just have to run it."

"Master, I'll go ahead and look for him so you can rest."

Kanji started down the hall, but Ghirahim's hand snapped forward and latched onto the slave's wrist. "No, you are going to stay where I can see you. We have no idea what we're up against. Just sit tight."

"But, Master, you're injured—"

Ghirahim tossed him a look, and Kanji silenced himself, rubbing his arms though the tunnels were suffocating everyone in warmth.

"Lord Ghirahim is right, Kanji. It's the best course of action."

"Thank you," Ghirahim nodded to his general, and the group continued down the hall towards Shai's supposed aura.

* * *

><p>Shai panted heavily, gasping in pain as the chains lowered slightly, letting him rest on the ground. Wild eyes peered up through his bangs at his tormenter, a silent plea for mercy lighting the ruby and amethyst irises.<p>

"What do you _want _from me?"

The man smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "We need your allegiance, Shaika. You need to be my slave and grant us all the wonderful power and information you hold."

Shai grit his teeth, pulling weakly at the restraints. "As if! I'll never help you, I belong only to Master!"  
>The man frowned for a moment and pulled his arm back as if to hit him, but then stopped, a cruel grin contorting his features. "Well then… if I can't make you surrender yourself, perhaps I can claim you in <em>other <em>ways."

Shai's blood froze in his veins, and he swallowed hard, pushing himself back against the wall as the man knelt down before him, a malicious spark in his eyes. Shai took this uncanny moment in time to notice that the man was by no means unattractive, and it only make Shai think he was much more experienced in those areas of life.

Wild, caramel locks and eyes of a golden glaze with tattoos depicting arrows travelling up and down his finely-tone and muscular arms. Yes, he was quite the catch—for a woman.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" he stuttered, hoping maybe he had taken that statement the wrong way.

"Oh, my dear little Shaika, you know exactly what I mean by that."

Shai jumped to his feet as the man tried to straddle him, clinging to the chains for dear life. "N-no, I don't!"

The man leapt to his feet and tackled Shai to the ground breaking the chains with his mind and trapping the child beneath him. The chains snaked their way into the floor above Shai's head, holding his arms there firmly. Shai whimpered, squirming to get out, but the man just laughed and lowered his mouth to Shai's neck, kissing roughly up the slender throat.

"St-stop!"

"Are you going to give me what I want?" he growled, into Shai's ear, his long tongue playing along the child's face.

Shai hesitated, panicking at the thought of what he was about to go through. But… But what about Ghirahim? What if this man wanted to kill Master? And Kanji? What about the entire country of Axialis? What about the citizens? Could Shai really be that selfish?

"No! I won't! I—"

Shai was cut off by a sharp slap, and he shook his head, wincing in pain.

"You really want me to do this? You're honestly _that _stubborn?"

Shai growled, still shaking with fear, and he brought his face up to meet his enemy's. "Bring it."

* * *

><p>Ghirahim halted for the fifth time and motioned for the others to keep going.<p>

"Master, are you—"

"Yes, Kanji, I am fine. I'm just in a tad bit more pain than I'm used to. That's all."

He leaned back against the wall, sliding to the floor and holding his arms over his mutilated stomach. The others continued down the hall, or at least, the majority of them did.

"Ghirahim?"

"Yes, skychild, what is it?" It wasn't pleasant for him to be so weak in front of his enemy, and he didn't need Link to rub in the humiliation of it all.

"Are you… you know, gonna make it?" Link asked awkwardly, rocking back on his heels.

Ghirahim looked up at him, and there was a silent moment where they stared at each other, holding silent conversation.

"I'll be alright, Link. It's just a little confusing. I was able to climb up the mountain and use my magic to get here, but for some reason as soon as we got in, it started hurting."

Link rummaged around in his adventure pouch for a moment, and then he held out his Guardian Potion. "Try this. Maybe it will help."

Ghirahim glanced at him suspiciously, and then realized this was Link he was talking about. What was he going to do? Poison it? The skychild was simply not like that.

He reached out and took it, downing it all in mere seconds before wiping his mouth. "Thank you," he panted, getting to his feet and starting to walk again. "I really think I'll be fine, I'm just worried I won't be able to help Shai when we reach him."

Link smiled, stuffing the jar back into his pouch. "Even if you can't, nothing's going to happen to him. We're all here."

Ghirahim nodded slightly, confused but pleased with Link's new attitude towards their cooperation. "I appreciate that." Ghirahim's head snapped towards a hall to their left, and he held out his hand for Link to stop. "I can hear him."

Link leaned forwards, listening closely, but he shook his head. "I don't—"

"Shh!" Ghirahim pressed a finger to his lips and listened again. He could hear Shai, and it sounded like he was screaming or crying or both. "I'm going this way!"

He dashed down the hall, ignoring the pain in his abdomen, and he vaguely heard Link call the others back from the hall they had ventured down.

_What are they doing to you, Shai?_

* * *

><p><strong>*<strong>**CEN****SORED CENSORED CENSORED ****CEN****SORED CENSORED CENSORED ****CEN****SORED CENSORED CENSORED ****CEN****SORED CENSORED CENSORED***

* * *

><p>Shai gasped for air, kicking the man away with as much strength as he had left in his weak, broken body. A low chuckle filled his ear, and he closed his eyes, knowing it was pointless but not willing to believe he couldn't get out.<p>

"Look at you… all hot and bothered."

"Sh-shut up!" Shai sputtered, twisting away from the man's hold.

"Did you see how your body reacted to my touches? It was…" The man licked up his throat, grinding his hips against Shai's exposed midsection. "Delicious."

"Get off of me!"

But the man ignored him and continued, rocking Shai's hips since the boy wouldn't do it himself. "You know, considering you're the servant of Lord Ghirahim himself, I shouldn't be surprised. I bet he taught you everything he knows…"

Shai gasped in horror at that, trying to twist around in a way that enabled him to kick the demon. "Don't speak about Master that way! He never laid a finger on me like this!"

The man struggled to hold him, but recovery was quick and his response violent. "Really now? He may not have done it, but you know he was thinking it. Do you _really _think all of those playful smacks and pinches were just for fun?"

"Th-they were! It's just his way of showing affection!" Shai insisted, and there was no doubt in his mind he was right. "He would never… AH! Let go of me! Stop, stop, stop!"

Shai began to sob loudly, tears rolling down his face. His entire body burned, humiliation rushing through him and forcing more cries from his mouth. He focused on the pounding of his heart in his ears, trying desperately to block out the other sounds in the room.

_Please, stop! Stop! Please, I'm begging you! Don't do this to me, please!_

He wanted to speak those words. To scream them. To beg for mercy. But he… he _couldn't. _He didn't know what this man was capable of. If he broke under torture and spilled information that lead to the downfall of Axialis, Shai could never forgive himself!

The man stood up, and Shai let out a gasp of simultaneous relief and pain. He let his body go limp, pain searing through his abdomen with every move he made.

"Aw, don't you look cute?"

Shai whimpered, chest heaving with sobs. "Please… stop… let me go…"

The man opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a thunderous, deadly voice Shai had never been so happy to hear in all his life. He blinked away his tears and looked towards the entrance, his chest swelling with hope and relief.

"Indeed, filth. Let go of him _now!"_

* * *

><p><strong>*<strong>**END END END END END ****END END END END END ****END END END END END ****END END END END END ****END END END END END ****END END END END END***

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><p>Ghirahim stood in the doorway to the chamber where Shai was being held captive, a sword grasped tightly in his hand as rage blurred the imagery before him. The sounds he'd heard as he approached were enough to clue him in, but when he opened the door he never expected to see this kind of debauchery.<p>

"You have a lot of guts—or perhaps mental instability—to come to my kingdom and assault my child in such a way." He growled low, venom dripping from his words like acid.

"Master, be careful! This man is dangerous!"

The man wiped his hands on his pant leg and stepped towards the demon lord, a haughty smirk curling his lips. "It took you long enough to get here."

Ghirahim stormed towards him with ferocity and speed, not caring for any form of banter at the moment.

"It's a shame, though. You missed all of the real fun. To see your face as he screamed in beautiful agony…" He shuddered, as if he had played such a seen in his mind. "What a delectable sight that would have been..."

Ghirahim continued to approach as the man danced around him, avoiding the possibility of any sort of contact with the furious demon.

"And what fun that would have been for me."

The man suddenly lunged at the lord, not at all surprised when Ghirahim teleported out of the way and landed behind him, bringing his sword down on his shoulder. A cry of pain was heard, and Ghirahim grinned, but the man jumped back up and pulled out his own weapon, running headlong into him and sending them both to the floor.

He leaned down and whispered in the demon's ear. "For his first time, he wasn't really that bad. Do you have any idea… how wonderfully tight he was?"

That was it. That was the final straw.

Ghirahim let out a scream of rage and kicked the demon off of him, jumping up and driving his blade down, embedding it deeply into his shoulder.

"_ENOUGH!" _He twisted the blade, the sickening pop sending chills of satisfaction down his spine. "Not only have you captured and beaten and violated him, but now you take pleasure in speaking of his body as though he were you _own_ _personal_ _sex toy!"_

Blood sprayed over the floors, splashing in harmony with the scream of agony ringing from the man's throat. Ghirahim drove his blade down again, but the man flipped out of the way, holding the wound and watching the demon lord carefully.

"Ghirahim!"

Ghirahim recognized the voice as Link's, and the thundering footsteps meant Shyra and Kanji were with him. Never once taking his eyes off of his victim, Ghirahim formed another blade in his free hand, thirsty for blood to coat its steel.

"Link, I want your assistance only."

Link drew his blade and complied, moving towards the cornered demon with anger flashing through his dark blue eyes. He knew exactly what had happened to Shai, and he was furious about it.

"My, my, this is a surprise. I never thought I'd see you two working together."

Link pointed his blade at the man and snapped, "Shut your mouth. I didn't ask for your opinion."

Ghirahim readied his blades for the fight. The man looked between the two of them, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. There was a moment where the world froze. Ghirahim licked his lips, and Link got in his usual battle position. The man grinned, holding his ivory blade out from his side.

Then all at once, they exploded into action.

Link ran first, slicing low for the man's legs. He flipped over Link's head, avoiding the blow, and Ghirahim jumped up, cutting the man's underside as he somersaulted past. The kidnapper landed sloppily, cursing while holding his wound. Then a grin twisted his features, and he moved his hand away, displaying the flawless skin where blood and torn flesh had been just moments ago. In fact, every cut on his body had now healed.

"Surprise!"

The two stared for a brief moment, but then Ghirahim teleported out of sight.

_He can heal himself? But those sorts of demons died out six hundred years ago and the magic required to do that was made forbidden!_

Link ran at him again, landing three swift blows before the white blade of his adversary cut deep into his shoulder and knocked him to the side. In his momentary distraction with Link, Ghirahim reappeared and thrust his blade through the man's back and sent it out his chest, teleporting away before any course of action could be taken. Of course instantly, the wound sealed itself and very little blood made it to the floor.

The flurry continued, Ghirahim teleporting and duck and swiping, Link going all out and bashing the man any time he came close, the man's odd gift and surprisingly excellent swordsmanship making the few blows he did land extremely crucial ones. It was all lost in a blur, and Ghirahim couldn't even keep track of where he was teleporting to after a while.

"GAH!"

Ghirahim stumbled back, blood spurting form his chest where the white rapier had been just seconds ago. He coughed, the black substance splashing past his lips. Piercing agony coursed through his veins like one thousand volts of electricity, and he felt himself hit the ground with a solid thud. The pain in his abdomen that the potion had dulled for a time now returned tenfold, and he barely managed to hold in the scream, pulling himself into a sitting position and coughing blood onto the ground.

"Master!" the boys chorused.

"Sir? Sir, get up!" Shyra called.

The man brandished his now onyx blade and flipped it over in his hand, licking Ghirahim's blood from the saber with a devilish smirk on his face.

"Tata!" he said cheerfully, and drove his blade down.

Crimson splashed up over the hilt and decorated the man's hand, followed by a bright flash of purplish-white light. He let out a shout of pain, stumbling back and dropping his blade. Link grinned when the wound didn't heal, and he held it up, letting it charge again before swinging it. Once again, the holy beam hit, the man was soon backed against the wall and blood profusely onto the floor.

"This isn't over, human!" he shouted, doubling over. "I am not working alone… and I am not finished with you…" Then he smirked. "We will most definitely meet again."

A bright light filled the room, and Ghirahim shielded his eyes, trying to keep an eye on Link. The light faded and then it was just the five of them. Ghirahim took a moment to sigh and let the relief sink in, and then he remembered Shai.

"Shaika!" He scrambled to his feet and ran over to Shai, part kneeling part collapsing in front of the young demon. "Are you okay?"

Shai nodded, biting his lips, but Ghirahim could see right through it. The raven fiddled with the blanket they had thrown over his indecency. "I'm… o… o…"

Shai burst into tears, latching onto his master's neck and wailing into his shoulder pitifully, fingers curled tightly around his spandex. "I was so scared, Master!"

Ghirahim shushed him, gently stroking his hair. "I know, Shaika, I know… you were so brave today… I'm so proud of you…"

"He wanted me to be h-his slave and I said n-no 'cause I just want y-you, Master. No one but you!" he sobbed, hiding his face in the crook of Ghirahim's neck, smearing make-up all over the pale skin.

"Shh...shh… I'll be your Master forever and always, you know that, Shakia…"

"And th-then when I didn't he whipped me and beat me and then he—th-then h-he h-h-he—"

"It's alright, child, you don't have to say it. I know. I know everything, it's alright. Shh…"

Ghirahim heard soft footsteps, and he glanced over his shoulder at Link, who was watching with a mix of fascination and confusion. Ghirahim patted the space beside him, and Link knelt down, placing a hand on Shai's back, rubbing gently.

"H-hello, Green Link."

Link smiled, speaking in soft, gentle tones. "Hi, Shai."

Shai giggled slightly, still sniffing. "That rhymed."

Link nodded, chuckling lightly. "Yes, it did." He paused. "You're gonna be okay, Shai."

"I-I know…"

Link paused, his voice catching in his throat slightly. He turned his gaze from Shai to Ghirahim and spoke steadily, making deliberate eye contact. "You've got a good master."

Ghirahim smiled slightly, knowing that message meant something much more than was on the surface, and Shai nodded. "I know that, too."

Fi flipped out of Link's blade and hovered before him. "Master, Zelda is outside this mountain searching for you, and it appears she is not pleased."

Link sighed, nodding his head. "Alright, I guess we better go…" He started for the exit, waving over his shoulder at the demons gathered on the floor.

"B-before you leave," Shai started, still clinging to his master for dear life. "I think you both should know that I sent the l-letters."

Shock registered on their faces, and Shai continued in his explanation, fidgeting slightly.

"I wanted you to keep running into each other so you would realize how pointless your fighting was. B-but I guess," he laughed at his, wiping his eyes. "I guess all I had to do was get kidnapped for you to work together."

A smile crept onto Link's face, and Ghirahim laughed aloud, hugging Shai tightly. "You certainly know how to get what you want!"

Link shook his head. "You crazy lil' demon." With that, he started towards the exit, waving to his supernatural friends as he went.

"And Link?" Link turned slightly when Ghirahim spoke, and he continued to speak. "You are welcome in Axialis anytime at all. Make yourself at home and if you ever in the capitol, stop by. I'll have Shai put on some tea."

Link smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks… I will."

Ghirahim nodded, and then Link ran out of the room. Ghirahim turned back to his sla… family.

"Alright, then, let's head home. And after a spot of tea, I'm going to take you," he poked Shai's nose, "And you," he pinched Kanji's tummy, "To do something I should have done years ago."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you're ready for this, Master?"<p>

Shai tugged on his repaired shirt, still amazed at the power of fairies and potions. After just twenty minutes of the little sprites working on the group, it was as if they had never been injured in the first place. Shai still felt… he still… felt…

"No, but I'm going to do it anyways."

Ghirahim steadied himself as they reached the bottom of the Sealed Grounds of the past. Shai spotted the sealing spike instantly, and he pointed to it, excitement and fear dancing in his eyes. "Is that where your master lies, Master?"

Ghirahim smiled at the arrangement of words, but it was a forced smile. He didn't want to do this—or rather, he did, but it would be very hard.

Kanji dashed forwards and seized Ghirahim's arm, smiling up at him. "We're here for you, Master!"  
>Shai took his other arm and nodded his head. "Right!"<p>

Ghirahim smiled down at both of them and ran his fingers through their hair, closing his eyes for a moment and sighing. "Oh, my dears… I hope you never have a master like mine."

Shai laughed. "But Master, you're our master!"

Ghirahim chuckled, sliding out of both their grasps and stepping forwards. "For now, I am, but I never know when something is going to happen to me." He put his hands on the spike and looked at them. "If something does happen to me, you understand you must take care of each other. Tovi and Coryai as well. They're younger than you, you know, so you must—"

"Don't worry, Master." Shai smiled. "You're not going to die, so that's not a problem."

Ghirahim sighed, turning back to the task at hand. Shai let his smile fade. Even if they acted confidant, they knew what to do if Ghirahim did die, and they also knew that there was a fairly large chance this would be the case.

Shai took a step forward, and Ghirahim didn't put up a wall, so he took a few more steps. Kanji darted out ahead a little ways, and Ghirahim shook his head at them.

"Stay. Both of you."

Kanji balled his hands into fists, and Shai hesitated to leave, frozen in place.

"I'm going to try and destroy him, but if I can't, I want you to get out of here right away."

"No!" they shouted in unison.

Ghirahim jumped, looking back at them in surprise. "No?"

Shai was the first to speak, marching forwards to be with his master. "I did not just go through a kidnapping and torture for nothing! I am not going to be separated from you again!"

Kanji was right behind him, not at all the timorous boy he usually was. "And I didn't spend two years all alone in a castle waiting for no one! I was waiting for you, Master, and if you die, I won't know what to do with myself. I'm staying right here!"

Ghirahim sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ah, I've created two monsters. You stubborn little things." He pulled them closer and placed his hands back on top of the ceiling spike, an orange glow beginning to flow from his hands and permeated the air and earth around them.

"What happens if something goes wrong?" Kanji questioned, watching his master's magic flow around them.

"Get help." Ghirahim started to push the seal into the ground, and the earth began to shake as Demise railed his protest. "I think I have it though. It should be fairly easy to—"

As if on cue, red magic spewed from the base of the spike, and Ghirahim let out a shout, pushing the spike in as far as he could, but obviously struggling.

"Can you use our magic, Master?" Shai asked, readying his hands.

"No, just stay close to me and help me push!"

They did exactly as they were told, but at this point and time, Demise had not been worn down by years of struggling. This was a factor of the past versus present situation they had not considered.

"Master, I can't hold on much longer!"

"Shaika, go and get help!"

Shai hesitated, but knew it was pointless to stay here and try to help this way. There simply wasn't enough manpower.

"A-alright! I'll be back, don't worry!" Shai ran from the pit, using magic to levitate to the top and into the temple as he scrambled to get to the Gate of Time.

_I know just who to ask!_

* * *

><p>Kanji hit the ground next to Ghirahim as the spike flew from the pit, vaulting through the air as Demise came up out of his hole. Kanji gaped at his form, and shook Ghirahim's arm.<p>

"I thought he needed the Spirit Maiden's soul to look like that!" he gasped out.

"He does." Ghirahim growled, getting to his feet. "Ah, look!" he called out cheerfully, giving a mock bow. "It's my old master."

Demise just looked at him scornfully.

"You know, it took me a while but I figured it all out. Too late, of course, I never was the timely sort." Ghirahim cleared his throat, and Kanji shook his head in confusion. Ghirahim had… known? "It seems to me that after my soul was taken into Link's blade, you searched out a new slave with your mind and called him to your services. Knowing I would not be happy with this, you decided to send little Krykins into my kingdom to kill or injure or maim subjects of mine, but one of them picked up a little tip that my Shaika was putting thoughts of treason in my head. And you could have that, oh, no. You couldn't have that." Ghirahim let out a bitter laugh and wagged his eyebrows. "Am I right so far?"

Demise smirked, amused by Ghirahim's approach to the situation, while Kanji continued to remain in the dark. "Go on."

"So when you heard of these little whispers, you decided to have your new favorite come in and kidnap him. You wanted Shaika's allegiance—why? Because he's powerful, he knows all my secrets, and because you knew it would kill me to have him betray me. But you missed on two crucial factors. You didn't plan on me receiving help from the skychild, and you didn't plan on Shaika going through everything—even rape—for his master." Ghirahim laughed again, throwing his head back. "What foolishness. Do you really think I would serve the cruelest, most demanding master in the world and end up with shawdy slaves? You underestimate me, Master."

Demise flexed his fingers, taking a few steps towards his slave. "You left out the part about the Spirit Maiden."

Ghirahim sighed. "Ah, yes, her. She is not currently with Link, but being held captive by your new slave, who by the by shall be cruelly tortured for playing with my Shaika, and Link is with a demon who is disguising herself as Zelda. Does that cover it?"

"All except the part where you come crawling back to me because I am your master and just as Shai is incapable of leaving you, so you are incapable of leaving me."  
>Ghirahim's lips twisted into a smirk, and Kanji finally understood what was going on. He stood by his Master and giggled to himself, waiting for Ghirahim to say his peace.<p>

"Unless I have a new master to replace you."

Shock registered on Demise's face.

"After all… why have a demon king when you can have a bratty skychild as your master?"


	14. Stations, Men

**A\N: So, I have two links here. One is Shai's signature color, the other is Shai's calling card. Hope you like!  
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**Card: art/Shai-s-Calling-Card-299467802  
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**Color: art/My-Fave-Color-Better-299468367  
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_**Mentions:**_**CheerfulBubbles369, henslight, Sideways Jill, HextheDaydreamer, Cold Calico, daMikuofAZ, ?, NeonDystortion, WolfRunner326, TNTkitten, WolfenAmphithere, zelda3469, Roowbin, Laureen Lycan, Mental Angel, OrangeDragonofDusk, Kyra, Phyllis Joy Wolfe, twinxie1OO, Navishamon, and meijosui, Mugen Kagemaru, goddessharp, Not always a Bookworm, Anon, The Dark Dweller, Shora, TheMysticalQ, Some-One's-There, Leeyydybear, Kaiyt, Whisperinmyear23, Define Sugar, MangaGeek26, Natalie, animefreak114, thedarkdweller, and xxpsychocupcakexx! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!  
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**So, I made a facebook page where you can see fanart, get sneak peeks, updates on the progress of stories, etc. Please go and check it out!  
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**Here: increak96  
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**NOW ONTO THE STORY!  
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><p>Link sighed, resting his chin in his hand and nodding blankly at Zelda, who had not stopped ranting since they left Axialis three hours earlier.<p>

"I said I was sorry," he repeated for the fourth or fifth time.

"Not only did you lie to me about investigating the Surface," she went on as if he hadn't said anything, "But you put yourself in a lot of danger! What if you had gotten hurt? Or killed? No one knew where you were and without our Loftwings, we couldn't come find you!"

Link hung his head, gazing at the floor tiredly. "Sorry…"

She shoved another potion into his arms. "Drink up, you're all bloody, and you need a shower!" She sighed, rubbing her forehead and walking to the pantry to fetch another bottle of the red syrup along with a shimmering, pink fairy. "I know you're sorry, Link, and I know you didn't mean to scare us. You just… you just worry me. That's all." She gave him a weak smile and held out the elixir.

He took it with a grateful nod and twisted the cork out. She made her way towards his door, giving him a sad but relieved look. "You just rest up, and we'll talk later. And please tell me Ghirahim didn't do anything to you?"

"He didn't." Link smiled, falling into his bed with a tired sigh. "He's actually… not half bad…"

Zelda raised her eyebrows. "He wasn't? Well… good to hear it!"

Link nodded, his eyes drifting shut, and he heard the door close as she left him.

_I'm so tired… I could sleep forever. I just want to pass out and never wake up…_

"Green Link! Green Link!"

Link's eyes snapped open as something crashed haphazardly though his window, sprawling out on the floor. He jumped out of bed and ran to Shai's side, helping the young warrior up.

"Shai, are you alright? What happened?"

Shai panted, pulling himself to his feet and motioning towards the window. "W-we were at the grounds—the—the Sealed Grounds and—"

"Link, what was that noise?" Zelda asked, reentering the room with a panicked look on her face.

"It's okay, this is Shai. He's Ghirahim's slave and he was about to tell me…?" Link turned to Shai at the end of the sentence, a questioning look on his face.

"Yes, of course," Shai panted, and Link saw for the first time blood was trickling down his cheek. "But not here. We need privacy."

"Where should we go?" Zelda asked, concern creasing her brow as she stepped towards them.

"Just Green Link and I, please." Link frowned as Shai reached out and took Link's hand, moving them both towards the window.

"But… Link, what is he talking about? Can't we both know?"

"Yes, we can," Link said firmly, pulling himself out of Shai's grasp. "What is going on, Shai? Why are you acting so weird?"

"She… she… please, Green Link trust me we can't… we can't…" Shai's eyes remained on Zelda the whole time, and there was malice in them. Pure, unadultered malice. But Shai was not a malicious person, so where was this coming from?

Link shook his head. "Not until you explain to me what is going on. Why do you even need me?"

Shai looked over his shoulder at the world below, and then at Zelda, and finally at Link. "Master, Kanji, and I went to the Sealed Grounds. Master was finally going to destroy Master Demise and free himself from the Demon King's mastership, but just as we were about to finish him, he came out of the hole and he was his demonic self again."

Link's eyes widened, and Shai formed a rapier in his fist. "Which of course… means that the Spirit Maiden's soul was used… which means that the girl behind you is…"

Link stiffened, slowly looking over his shoulder at his childhood friend, her face now twisted with rage.

"Treacherous snake!" The creature bellowed, the form of the human girl somewhat dissipating as it lunged at Link.

Shai intercepted her and sent her flying back into the wall, a dark wall forming between them. Shai braced his hands against it, his fingers pulsing red and purple as he looked over his shoulder. "Green Link, by rejecting Demise, Master is now your loyal servant and is fighting his old Master's will over him for your sake. I can't do anything—I'm just a slave—but you can. I know you and Master don't get along at times, but please…"

Link stared at Zelda—or what he once thought was Zelda—and shook his head slowly. It was her body, her hair, her face—but her eyes were the color of blood and venom dripping from the fangs stationed in her mouth. Her skin was peeling away and revealing a black, slimy ooze.

"Green Link, go!"

Link turned on his heel ran across the room, jumping out of the window and rushing to the closest platform he could find. He spread his arms and prepared to jump, but a loud shout made him freeze.

"Wait!"

Link looked over his shoulder to see Pipit running towards him and frantically waving his arms.

"Link, the Loftwings!"

Link slammed his palm to his forehead. The one mystery left unsolved! The Loftwings were still missing, and because Ghirahim was not at fault, he had no idea where to look.

"Pipit, I need to get down there. _Now_. Can't I borrow Karane's?"

Pipit shook his head. "They're completely gone now. Karane's freaked out and broke apart its stall, flying straight towards the Thunderhead with seven other birds, and that was the last of them."

"What about Zelda's?"

Pipit gave him an odd look. "Zelda's left with the first batch that disappeared."

Link sighed. _Great. So that was part of the demon's illusion. _"Then how do I get to the Surface?" Link leaned over the edge and peering into the endless clouds.

"Well… I guess if it's an emergency, Scrapper could take you down. He's over at the shop with Gondo, but didn't you have some special way of calling him?"

Link shook his head. "Fi is gone. During our adventure she got arms and wanted to try them out and see how to use them—you know, analyzing the benefits like she does—and I don't know when she'll be back."

Pipit grabbed his arm and started for the shop. "Guess we gotta run!"

Link looked worriedly over his shoulder at the light that shot up from the Sealed Grounds. Link didn't know a lot about how the goddess's magic worked, or the way she had set things up to react to each other. He wasn't sure what made the lights break through the clouds and show him the way to go, but he did know one thing about them.

They were _not _supposed to pulse black.

* * *

><p>Ghirahim hit the ground, gritting his teeth as blood spilled from his mouth, splashing onto the ground below him. Staggering to his feet, he readied his blade again, licking his lips out of habit.<p>

"You want to reject me, then? Think you can just move on to a new and more powerful master and I won't drag you kicking and screaming back to where you belong?"

Ghirahim grunted as the blade his master had conjured narrowly missed his shoulder. A bitter laugh escaped his lips, and he saw Kanji moving in the background, creeping up to Demise in the hopes of landing a surprise blow.

"By no means is he more powerful than you, and in all honesty I'm not sure who's going to win today." Ghirahim clutched the gaping wound in his side and backed up, his pale skin meeting a cool wall.

"Wealth, then."

"No, no he's not very rich. Most of his money is what he digs up in the grass and shrubberies."

Demise snarled, clenching his saber tighter. "Then you have no reason to serve him!"

Ghirahim laughed, throwing his head back and narrowly missing the wall. "That is where you are so _very _wrong, Demise."

Kanji leapt up and plunged his sword into Demise's shoulder, driving it down through his lung as blood exploded from the wound, coating the demon's scales and clothes. Roaring in pain and fury, Demise threw Kanji from his shoulder, grinning maliciously as the child smacked into the rock and fell down with a thud.

Ghirahim did his best to keep his emotions out of his eyes and thoughts, knowing his old master's invasive control was not completely gone yet, but when Kanji didn't get up or move it began to worry him.

_No, don't go there._

Shaking his head, he materialized his classic rapier and ran at Demise, swinging high and low in sporadic patterns before jumping back to avoid being hit. He teleported so he was behind his master, and landed several blows to the tender flesh between the scales.

Demise swung his blade out and smacked Ghirahim to the side with the flat. The demon rolled over twice, springing back to his feet seamless. He cracked his neck one way, and then the other, shaking out the kinks and moving back towards his old master, eyes flashing with nothing but pure hate.

_Amazing how a couple odd events can change undying loyalty to loathing._

He ran forwards and formed a long chain out of yellowish orange diamonds, tossing it around Demise's arm and running around him quickly to hold the arm back as he delivered a few more blows. Kanji stabbed Demise in the back, having slightly recovered from his head trauma, but was still stumbling and unable to fight with much accuracy.

Demise snapped the chain like a brittle twig and swung his arm out, forming several large daggers that shot towards Ghirahim. He deflected the majority of them, but several others pinned him to the walls of the pit in the Sealed Grounds, and a final dagger lodges in his chest.

Coughing blood over himself, he slouched slightly, struggling to hold onto consciousness. A gasping sound caught his ear, and it twitched, moving in the direction of the sound.

"Kanji…?" he muttered, blood staining his lips.

Through blurred vision, he could see Kanji suspended in midair, Demise's hand crushing his windpipe as the small demon squirmed futilely in his grasp. "L-let go!"

Ghirahim growled low in his throat, tearing his arm free and ripping the onyx weapon from his chest and breaking away from the other knives piercing his body. Adrenaline soared through his veins, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Demise!" he shouted, a massive broadsword materializing in his hands as he stalked towards the king. "Release him."

Kanji snapped his fingers, but nothing happened.

_Master, I don't have magic!_

_Improvise, child._

Kanji reached down towards his pocket while Demise's attention was on Ghirahim. Ghirahim glanced at him briefly, understanding instantly what he was trying to do and deciding to go with it.

"Unlike you, Demise, I'm a master who doesn't care to see his slaves tortured by someone they do not belong to. Thus, your recent actions have made me very… disagreeable."

"Is that so?"

Kanji grasped a small but poignant dagger and took a deep gulp of air before plunging the steel into Demise's wrist, severing the largest veins and twisting it deep into the bone. At that moment, Ghirahim lunged at Demise and drove his blade deep into the brute's throat.

Ghirahim hit the ground in a shower of blood, his ex-Master's hand embedded in his chest. He stared up at Demise in shock, his Master's crimson blood falling onto his chest and face from the gaping hole in his neck.

"Did you really think that was enough to stop me?"

Ghirahim eyes squeezed shut, and he let out a scream as Demise's fingers curled inside the still beating chest. Diamond-shaped flakes of skin peeled away and his eyes and mouth glowed bright red, pain searing through his body like fire. He arched his back and writhed in pain, screaming wordlessly at the agony that ripped through his being and ravaged his body.

Soon he was lying in his true form, Demise's hand deep within the diamond and grasping a flawless, onyx broadsword. Ghirahim shut his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing all of his energy on holding his sword within its 'sheath'. If he couldn't defeat the demon king, he could at least hinder him.

"M-Master!" Kanji gasped, his eyes and lips blue from lack of oxygen, and vicious bruises forming on his throat.

Ghirahim silenced the scream in his mind, distancing himself from his emotions as best as he could.

_Shh… Kanji, Master will be fine. Hush now, and go to sleep._

The command, though not verbal, reached his child's body, and he fell limp to the battlefield. A slight grin teased Ghirahim's lips. He didn't often use his power of control over the boys, but there were times when he had to buckle down his bootstraps and do it for their sake.

Demise gave a good, hard jerk on the blade, and Ghirahim grit his teeth, the ache in his body throbbing and pulsing through his mind like an electric shock. He held on for dear life, knowing if Demise had the Dark Master's Sword, there was no way Link could win in his current state.

"Surrender your blade to me—now!"

He couldn't have responded even if he wanted to, but if he could have, he was certain they would have sounded something like—

"That blade doesn't belong to you anymore, Demise!"

Yes, something like—what?

_Master Link?!_

Ghirahim could not open his eyes for fear of losing his control over the saber, but he could picture the rugged hero standing at the edge of the pit in the Sealed Grounds, sword glimmering, eyes flashing, expression set and determined.

_Where… Where is Fi?_

_Fi was unavailable. It's just us for now._

Ghirahim swallowed hard, but nodded, wondering what he meant by that. _Alright. Whatever you need me to do, I'll—_

_Give Demise your blade._

Ghirahim froze, and for a moment he opened his eyes and looked over at Link, his senses returning to him and spiking the pain through his form like a thousand knife points.

_What? _Both his mind and his eyes spoke.

_Give Demise your blade, _Link repeated, his sapphire eyes set and focused.

Ghirahim frowned, glancing at his Master and then at his has-been. _Master, there is a 93% chance that will end disastrously._

_Must be a sword spirit thing._

Ghirahim said nothing. The subject was closed, and he had given Link his soul now, so he had to obey. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he let go of his blade and allowed Demise to tear it from his chest, laughing loudly at the wonderful yet terrifying sensation. It had been far too long since he had done this.

At first there was pain, but soon it was lost in a sea of ecstasy as his senses purified and then dulled, leaving him in a state of total euphoria.

Beneath all of the pleasure, though, was a deep sense of worry.

_Master… I hope you know what you're doing._

His final nerve ending fell asleep, and the blackness claimed his mind.

* * *

><p>Link kept his expression blank as Demise took hold of the blade and Ghirahim's body funneled into it. He moved towards the demon king with his sword at the ready. Demise looked at him disdainfully, raising the massive broadsword above his head.<p>

"So you're the one Ghirahim thinks he belongs to."

Link said nothing, debating whether or not to engage.

"A pitiful human such as yourself doesn't know the vast entities of power this blade contains. You shouldn't be trifling with it so ignorantly."

Link bit his tongue, his eyes trained solely on the onyx in Demise's hand. He had a vague idea of what he had to do, and he knew he was able to do it, but if he messed this up, Ghirahim would never leave the steel again.

_Without Fi, there's no way I can risk it…_

"Oh, so _you're _the guy he dumped for me. Yeah, yeah, I can see why he would do that." He coughed into the crook of his arm, slurring words through the hack. "Best decision he ever made."

Demise glared at him, swinging the blade out and almost clipping Link's shoulder as the hero flipped over backwards. He stared at the sword as he backed away in a circle, waiting for Demise to make a move. The imagery of the Triforce on the weapon pulsed red, and Link hoped Ghirahim was alright.

_I hope Pipit finds her soon._

* * *

><p>Fi glanced up as she heard a loud voice calling her name. She identified the voice as Pipit's and jumped down from the goddess statue where she had been relaxing.<p>

"Yes?" she asked, floating a few inches above the ground.

Pipit doubled over, panting. "Link really needs you for something. Scrapper took him down the Surface, but Link said to tell you something about purifying a dark blade…?" Pipit let his sentence trail, a puzzled expression taking over his features.

Fi's ice blue eyes widened, and she raised herself high off of the ground, searching frantically in every direction. Her gaze locked on the emerald light as it pulse ebony from the ground so riddled with malice and hate.

_There. There is a 99% chance Master is there._

She shot forwards, blue light emanating from her body as she soared through the atmosphere and turned into a nosedive, searing through the cloud barrier. The Sealed Grounds grew from a dot to the massive pit it was, and she flew heedlessly into Link's blade.

_Master, I apologize for my delay._

Link wiped blood from his brow, obviously recovering from a recent blow.

_That's alright, Fi. I have an idea, and I need to know if it will work or not. _He ran forwards again, swinging his blade high and aggravating the gash in his throat Ghirahim or Kanji had left during their previous battle.

_Fire away, Master._

Link smiled slightly at her human idiom, and she felt a sense of pride at the accomplishment. _Do you remember talking about purifying a corrupted blade? _Link stumbled back and then jumped up, parrying around the demon king and slicing a wide swath through his backside.

_Yes, Master._

_Can I do that with Ghirahim?_

_Negative, Master._

That reply caught him off guard, and he was hit by an oncoming attack. Hitting the ground, he rolled back onto his feet and continued their conversation. _What do you mean?_

_That process is for a corrupted blade. Ghirahim is not, in fact, corrupted. He was created in this dark form, therefore he cannot recover from it because there is nothing to recover from._

Link bit his lip, nodding as he once again rolled out of the way of the broadsword and thrust his blade at his enemy. His brain waves moved rapidly, and she sensed that he was trying to think of a new plan.

Fi caught sight of the unconscious teenager across the way, and an idea began to form. She looked at Ghirahim's blade closely, the symbol just above the hilt attracting her attention instantly. _Master, it is not possible to purify Ghirahim. However, it may be possible to refine_ _him._

_What? _Link landed a fatal blow and then ran a good distance off, letting the demon spew and shout in rage.

_Notice the symbol on the blade—that is, the Triforce. That means Ghirahim is the Dark Master's Sword. However, our shapes are very different, which means the darkness around the edges was probably created and strengthened by years of hate, malice, evil, and a rather large amount of Demise's magic._

Link seemed to catch on and started making his way towards Kanji. _Which means Demise still has a lot of control over him._

_Correct, Master._

Link nudged the demon as he passed, trying not to make a big show of it. _So if we get enough power into one single blow, we can shave off those edges and make it a black copy of the True Master's Sword, and we can free Ghirahim._

_He may be able to free himself at that point._

_Fabulous!_

_Very funny, Master._

_Why, thank you. _Link panted, shaking Kanji's shoulder again before jumping to his feet and luring Demise away from the fallen demon. He ran back, kneeling in the dirt and shaking him violently.

Kanji shook his head, slowly sitting up. "What? Where am I?"

Link dragged him to his feet and pulled him out of the way of an oncoming attack. "You're still at the battlefield. Demise has Ghirahim as his sword, and I need your help."

Kanji's head jerked up, and he gaped at the powerful demon who once owned his master. "What? That's impossible! Ghirahim surrendered his soul to you, Link!"

"I know, I know, but we need to get rid of—"

The Sealing Grounds shook and groaned, and Kanji tripped, Link staggering slightly as the ground rolled beneath them like ocean waves.

"You seem a little frazzled, human."

Demise's rumbling voice was echoed by another tremor, and Link struggled to remain upright in the sea or terra firma. Kanji scrambled to his feet, but he was still dizzy and regaining oxygen.

"I shall prepare a place for us to dual without any distractions, and if you still think you have the courage to face me, seek me there."

The eruptions and quakes ceased, and a violent, black wind drove at them. Link covered his eyes for just a moment, and when he was able to look again, he saw a violet portal in the center of the pit spewing smoke from the ground. Demise was gone, and Link could only assume the hole was where he had gone.

Link rushed to Kanji's side and pulled the demon child to his feet, giving him a quick onceover.

"Is anything broken? Can you still see? How many fingers am I holding up?"

Kanji smiled weakly at him, shoving his hand away. "I'm fine, Link. Just a little sore…" He rubbed his shoulder, blood oozing between his fingers.

"What about all those red spots on your face?"

Kanji cocked his head to the side and looked at his reflection in Link's sword. "Probably a petechial rash. It should go away in a day or so. Now, what did you want from me, Link? I couldn't hear you before."

"Can you help me charge the Master's Sword with enough energy to shave down Ghirahim's blade?"

Kanji cocked his head to one side. "Why would you need to do that?"

Fi removed herself from Link's blade, sensing her Master's exhaustion. "I will take the liberty to explain, Master."

Link nodded, slumping to the dirt and dragging his arm over his forehead, staining his sleeve with blood, sweat, and grime.

"Kanji, I don't believe we have spoken before, but my name is Fi, and I am Link's companion. The goal Master Link has set at this point is to remove the excess from Ghirahim's blade in the hopes of removing all forms of Demise's control over him, and this theory comes from the understanding that Ghirahim's larger form comes from his old master's power."

Kanji nodded, glancing at the ground thoughtfully. "Alright, I see what you're saying." He rubbed the back of his neck, frowning. "Shai is really much better at magic than I am."

Link sighed, getting to his feet and cracking his back. "Shai's busy fighting the Zelda impersonator now." Link slammed his palm to his forehead. "That's right! We still have to find the real Zelda!"

Fi tilted her head to the side, calculating the probabilities and statistics of Zelda's location. Link held up a hand, stopping her short.

"We'll worry about that later. For now, let's focus on the task at hand: Defeating Demise and freeing Ghirahim."

Fi and Kanji exchanged glances, but they nodded. Link held out his blade and Fi returned to it.

"Kanji, can you somehow charge this with dark magic _without _altering the blade?"

Kanji nodded, and Fi felt surprisingly calm at having a demon invade her sword. He seemed confident and aware of the significance of what he was about to do.

"I can do it."

Link held out his blade, and Fi examined the boy. Without a doubt, there was 100% chance he could fulfill his task.

* * *

><p>Shai panted, blood splashing past his lips as he doubled over, pain searing through his body with every pulsating, aching heartbeat. Sweat trickled down his forehead, and he licked his lips briefly, his eyes flashing towards the open window before returning to his foe. He had never expecting the morpher demon to be so strong!<p>

"Had enough, little boy?" the being snarled, her fangs glistening in the light.

"Not nearly," was his quick retort, though in reality, he was almost at the end of his energy.

"I will relish in your screams when your life ends you _nuisance_._"_

Shai swallowed hard, glancing again at his escape.

_Master… Green Link… I need help._

Gathering all of his strength, he snapped his fingers and reinforced his weapons. A smirk twisted his lips and his tongue slithered over his lips.

"Let's get it on!"


	15. Finally Moving

**A\N: **WHEW! I finally got it up! Sorry about the wait-Although I did get you sneak peeks this time. ;) Anyways, the whole delay was on the end. I don't know how many times I read it and changed it and read it and changed it, and I'll tell you why at the end for the sake of no spoilers. I hope you enjoy it! After this there's an epilogue, and an Author's Note in which y'all are thanked and will be given the link to the next installment! *squeals* Please review!  
><strong>**

* * *

><p><strong>P<strong>ainfully, Ghirahim pulled himself into the land of the conscious and grimaced, flinching as the sharp sound of steel against steel pierced his ears.

_Where… where am I?_

Another metal scream, and Ghirahim felt a jolt, shaking his head as the pain set in. He braced his arms against the sword, trying to stop himself from falling this way and that as the battle continued relentlessly. Another jerk and his head snapped against the wall, pain coursing throughout his body.

_Master? Master?!_

Ghirahim started to panic, staring down at his feet where blood began to pool. Why was Link hurting him? Had… had he trusted in the wrong master again?

_Master! This hurts!_

He let out a scream as the sword recoiled, blood spurting from his mouth as he fell sideways into the crease and then upward to the tip. Blood splashed up over him as he fell, and when the sword remained stationary, he saw the black liquid came halfway up his calves.

_Master, stop it! Stop it!_

The voice wasn't begging, but moreso angry and demanding. Regardless of tone, Link wasn't responding, and Ghirahim didn't know why. All he knew was that he was alone in a cursed sword bleeding to death, and he didn't know what to do next.

Growling, he slammed his fist into the side of the sword. Why was he so _helpless _when it came to Masters? At home, he ruled the land and his castle. In other areas of the Surface, he was a feared leader and a figure of power. He had fatally wounded the great Faron in battle without batting an eyelash. No matter where on the Surface he was, he was in control. But here with Demise and Link fighting over him… over mastership… he felt like the damsel in distress, and it killed him!  
><em>Master, are you there? Master?<em>

The blood seeped up to his knees and he swallowed hard, banging his fist against the metal again. If he didn't get out soon… there was no telling what the consequences would be.

* * *

><p><strong>L<strong>eaping back, Shai swung his blade low, tearing the black flesh in two and landing on the ground with a gentle bend of his knees. Demise had certainly chosen a powerful demon to play Zelda's role, and the fight was proving much harder than Shai had originally thought.

Blood splattered over the floor, and Shai grabbed his shoulder, jumping out of the way of the next blow before swinging his rapier out, slamming into the demon's side and sending her to the floor.

Shai panted, coughing into his fist as he approached the fallen being sprawled on the hardwood. Dragging a hand over his mouth, he raised his sword and flipped it so the tip was pointing down.

"P-please…" the girl cried, holding up a hand to protect herself. "P-please I didn't… I had orders…"

Shai knew these demons were famous for their tall tales, but still the hesitation came, guilt forming in his mind. What if he were in her position? Wouldn't he want his adversary to at least consider? What if Ghirahim gave him an order like this? Would he do it, too?

"Please…"

His sword was slowly lowered towards the ground, and he knelt closer the ground, offering his hand to the girl.

"Here," he said gently.

She slowly reached out, taking his fingers in her quivering hand. "Th-thank you… can… can you do something for me?"  
>Shai nodded, alarm slipping into his mind as her hand slid up his hand to his wrist. He kept his expression blank and responded smoothly. "Of course."<p>

Her fingers curled around his arm and jerked him forwards, her foot flying out and making solid contact with his hip as they both tumbled over each other, stopping their roll with her on top, a blade pressed against his throat.

"Die for me."

Shai's eyes widened.

* * *

><p><strong>E<strong>vading Demise was out of the question at this point, and it was only the tactic of head-on attack that kept Link living thus far. Kanji was as big a help as any demon child could be, but he was trying to focus on putting his magic into Link's blade as he fought, not landing actual attacks on the demon king.

"Link!"

Link continued to run from the Demise, holding his sword in the boy's general direction as Kanji sent blasts of magic into the silver blade, turning it orange as the spells seeped into the steel.

Link waited until the sword was full and ran at Demise again, jumping up and striking his sword just above the hilt. As the black cracked and chipped, Link landed a few sharp blows to Demise's neck and chest.

Thankfully, Ghirahim had done enough damage before Link arrived to slow Demise down so the hero could focus on the Dark Master's Sword.

_Ghirahim, are you in there? Can you hear me at all?_

Link sighed when there was no response, running off and waiting for Kanji to have enough magic to charge him up again. Demise leapt into the air, and Link stood still for a moment, waiting for him to begin his descent. As soon as the demon fell towards Link, sword pointed down, prepared to end him, the he ran at the young demon, tossing him a stamina potion.

"Here!"

Kanji drank it all in one gulp and panted, running out of the way as Demise came at both of them.

"Thank you, Link!" he called, focusing on his hands and forming more sienna magic between them and growing the intensity and size as stars sparkled in his hands.

_Ghirahim! Please answer me!_

Link shook his head, running in the opposite direction. If Ghirahim didn't answer him, how was he supposed to know if it was working?

_Ghirahim, if you are there answer me now!_

But once again, Ghirahim said nothing.

"Master, my calculations indicate you should continue doing what you're doing, and if Ghirahim feels discomfort, he will get over it."

Link chuckled softly, panting hard as he made a large circle around Demise and moved forward to land another blow. "I love how you mix fact and human idioms."

"Your culture is interesting. I enjoy being a part of it."

Link smirked, jumping up and driving his blade into Demise's throat, ripping through the scaly flesh as much as he could before flipping off backwards and toppling to the ground, his leg giving out beneath him.

_Dangit… forgot about that..._

Link examined the sword wound from earlier in the battle and pulled himself to his feet, narrowly missing a heavy blow from the sword.

_Ghirahim better be refined soon, or we aren't going to make it!_

* * *

><p><strong>A <strong>loud laughed rang from the young demon's throat, and he watched her expression shift from one of victory to one of confusion.

"Are you seriously asking me to die here? For you?"

Shai barked again, shaking his head and pretending he didn't mind the blood sliding freely down his throat. Grunting, he pulled his leg up and thrust his foot into her gut, sending her flying across the room, the dagger falling from her hands.

"I mean, really. If you're going to attack Demon Lord Ghirahim's personal servant, you should at least have good tactics."

Slowly, he got to his feet, his left eye burning as red liquid trickled down his face. The girl froze, stepping back slightly and pushing herself against the wall. He licked his lips, clenching his fist as metal formed in his grasp.

"Surely you must know what every slave retains their master's power. It's a well-known fact that even as Ghirahim receives increased sadism from Demise, I receive sadism… from _him._"

Shai chuckled as the young demon whimpered, pushing herself further into the corner. Shai walked over to her and gently took hold of her cheek, lifting her gaze so their eyes met.

"Do you really think you can fool me again?"

"I'm not—"

Shai's hand snapped across her face, and he grabbed her hair, jerking her a few inches off the ground. "I can smell it all over you. You filthy, lying, wretch."

"Pl-please, don't—"

He thrust the sword into her chest and watched as the blood poured from the wound and spilled over the floor.

"Don't? Don't what?" he snarled, dragging her head down and aggravating the fatal hole even more.

"St-stop," she sobbed, shaking from fear and pain.

"It's a little late for that, my dear."

It took only ten more seconds for the blood flow to stop, and then he removed his sword, watching her bloodied corpse fall to the floor. He strode over to Link's mirror and gazed into it. Both of his eyes were scarlet, and his tattoo was pulsing the same color.

_I was hoping when I told Master he had to reject Demise, he would understand I meant for both of our benefits. I'm a third generation sadist right now. As hard as it is for him to be kind… it's even harder for me._

He glared at the window, hearing loud shrieks and peals of thunder from outside. He stalked over, watching as the inhabitants pointed up at the black billowing toward them, confusion written on their faces. Shai caught a quick glimpse of Pipit and leapt from the window, running over rooftops and clotheslines to reach him.

"Pipit! Pipit, wait!" he called, and the knight stopped and whirled.

"Shai! You're… magical again?" Pipit drew his sword at this realization, but Shai paid it no mind.

"That dark cloud means there's a whole lot of Krykins coming this way. You need to get everyone somewhere safe and lock yourselves up."

"Wait, what is a Krykin?"

"It's like a miniature demon. If it's a big one it'll come halfway up your thigh—" Shai stopped, realizing he was noticeably shorter than Pipit. "My thigh. They're solid black, but they can morph their bodies to look like humans if they're powerful enough. I need to know what it is I'm killing."

Pipit frowned. "How do I know I can trust the magical you?"

"I've always been the magical me!" he snapped, getting frustrated. "I just didn't want you to be suspicious of me so I made up the whole twitching memory loss nightmares thing and—" A loud buzzing sound caught his ear as the screams from the sky increased. "Just trust me and get them all somewhere!"

"There's a cellar beneath the Academy!"

"Take them there! Now!" he shouted, pointing towards the large, golden building. Pipit ran off, and Shai tried to calm himself.

_Now stop it, this is Master's sadism and temper speaking. Shai, you are level-headed and calm and you know what you're doing. You're not afraid, you're not panicked, you're not angry. Take a deep breath…_

He inhaled deeply and let it out, closing his eyes as the burning receded.

_Okay. Defend this town. That's all you have to focus on right now. Master is in good hands._

He formed a long, dark blade in each hand and created a platform around his feet, rising into the air to meet the enemy.

* * *

><p><em><strong>S<strong>__tupid, stupid, stupid! This hurts!_

Ghirahim panted, the blood now splashing against his hips and getting higher by the minute. Everything hurt. His head spinning, stomach swimming, sides aching, eyes watering, nose burning, muscles throbbing, heart pounding, and throat stinging with every scream.

_What are you thinking you—_

A large swing, courtesy of Demise, sent him back and forth between the walls on either side of him. He heard a loud crack and stars exploded over his vision, sending him under the surface for a moment. He threw his hands up and broke through, quickly grappling the smooth sides in an attempt to pull himself to his feet.

He came up gasping for air and wiped his hair out of his face and eyes, leaning back against the wall and trying to keep the contents of his stomach. Slowly looking upward, his eyes caught a small ray of light streaming in through a crack.

_You're… breaking me?_

He paled, backing against the wall as his primitive instinct for survival began to take over, icing his veins with fear.

_Wh-why?! Are you mad at me? _

Agony seared through his core and he toppled forwards into the tip of the blade, then to the side and then back down, the onyx blood falling around him.

_What did I do? _

He shakily got to his feet and bit his lip as the crack expanded, his diamond throbbing harder than ever.

_Master? Master?! Why are you doing this?! Master!_

* * *

><p><strong>E<strong>ven though Shai had the advantage because of his superior magic and the relentless hours or training Ghirahim had submitted him to, the hundreds of Krykins swarming like a black plume of smoke and ash were a terrifying sight to behold.

Taking a deep breath, he moved his platform into the mobs and began hacking away in reckless abandon, watching as the little creatures fell through the clouds.

Dissipating his weapons, he settled for snapping his fingers, magic blasting from his hands and eliminating seven or more at a time, but still it wasn't enough. They were moving towards Skyloft at top speed, and humans were still running around trying to gather their possessions and recede into hiding.

_Fools! Your life is more important than some stupid urn or a pretty blouse!_

Shai panted, dropping through his platform and falling a ways to get out of the thick, black swarm. Krykins, unless specifically ordered otherwise, were of no harm to demons, just a nuisance. But if they got into town, they would kill off select humans and shape shift into them to take their place. The community would be half demon half human and no one would know who was who. If someone did find out, they would be replaced, and it would happen over and over until there was not a single human left on the floating rock; just demons. That was how Krykins worked.

Shai took a deep breath and soared into the mass, closing his eyes and sensing for power. He found a particularly large power hotspot and moved towards it, ignoring the sting of their wings flapping against his exposed skin. He caught one around the waist and continued moving his platform forward until he reached the green light directly over the Sealed Grounds.

"Let me go! Let me go!" the little one screeched, and Shai could easily see it was a boy.

Ivory fangs and eyes that glowed like an open flame ornamented his face, and short, onyx hair topped him off nicely. His skin was light silver, like a newly polished blade, and small wings in the shape of a dragon's but the texture and color of a raven's were mounted on his back. A blue sash thinly veiled his indecency, but the tiny creature was too scared to notice.

"Listen here, you little rat!" Shai snarled, grabbing him by the scruff and giving him a good, hard shake. "You are going to morph into the Spirit Maiden for me, and you will not tell your little friends it is you, and you will sit obediently at my feet until told to do otherwise. Do you understand?"

The boy shook his head, still squirming furiously, despite the hacks and squeals of pain. "No! No, no, no! I don't want to!"

Shai smirked, expanding his platform and creating a dome around it so the boy could not fly. "Oh? I think I'm going to have to change your mind."

_Shai, this is a living thing. Remember to have mercy. What are you talking about? It's a_ _Krykin! For the love of all that is evil just kill it! No… Make it squirm. Shai, you have to control Ghirahim and Demise's tendencies. Do what it takes to achieve your mission, not more._

Shai closed his eyes for just a moment, forming a whip in one hand and a small dagger in the other.

"Are you still determined to defy me?"

The boy nodded his head, though fear clearly played in his eyes. Shai felt something he called 'pre-guilt' form in the pit of his stomach, though his inner Ghirahim swiftly quenched it. He stepped towards the boy, lips curling up into a smirk.

"If you insist."

* * *

><p>"<strong>M<strong>aster, Demise is weakening at a rapid pace, and Ghirahim's excess has almost been obliterated. At this point, you have two extremely profitable options: Use the next magically enhanced blow to wound Demise, the next to free Ghirahim, and finish Demise with a few simple strokes. Or continue freeing Ghirahim but risk Demise recovering in the allotted time it takes to perform the aforesaid."

Link pulled his arm over his forehead, blood and sweat sinking into the once green fabric. Link took a few steps back, breathing heavily and resisting the urge to double over as Demise stepped closer. He heard a sharp sound like metal scraping against metal, and he quickly held up his blade.

Bright orange stars surged into it, and he took a deep breath to steady himself, lunging forward and plunging it deep into Demise's chest. Demise roared, throwing his head back and stepping away as the powerful magic coursed through his veins and broke down his hard exterior, revealing tender flesh beneath.

_An object is only as strong as its weakest point._

Link threw himself forwards, slashing wildly at the exposed flesh. Blood flew up around him, and he squinted his eyes in an attempt to keep them clear of the fluid.

Demise's hand made solid contact with his chest, and he went flying backwards, hitting the ground and tumbling over backwards, a loud pop ringing his ears.

"Link!" Kanji called, and Link opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

_So many things that aren't supposed to crack just cracked…_

Kanji ran over to his side. "Don't worry, I think I can fix it."

_How?_

"It'll be a little unprofessional, but..." Kanji grabbed Link's hip with one hand and placed his arms over his chest, putting him on his side. "Just relax." Link did the best he could, and Kanji swiftly jerked his shoulder and hip in opposite directions, several loud cracks sounding out.

"Woah!" Link gasped in air, relief flooding through his sore and tired body.

Kanji flipped him over and did it the reverse way before pulling him to his feet and running.

"Look out, Link!"

Link didn't have to actually look to know what he was 'looking out' for, and it was second nature to run in the opposite direction of that thick, deadly aura.

_It took him quite a while to get over here…_

Link glanced over his shoulder.

_And he's limping. It won't be long now._

* * *

><p><strong>A<strong>gony. That was all he could feel. The cracks and holes riddled his steel, yet none of the blood now splashing around his shoulders poured out. He shook uncontrollably, coughing up blood and trying to keep himself steady.

The sword moved this way and that, and with every blow, Ghirahim could feel his body going numb. His senses were slowly leaving him, and he couldn't tell up from down anymore.

_I don't understand… Link, I thought I could trust you… I thought you trusted me, what—what happened? I'm… I'm…_

He could feel his heart slowing in his chest, and he knew the sensation this experience was giving him, but he couldn't say it. He wouldn't. He refused to say those two words in sequence with one another.

Even if he couldn't see any feasible way to survive, even if he was about to drown in his own blood, even if his very essence was shattering before his eyes by the one human he thought he could trust while he shivered and screamed all alone in more pain than he had been in for several hundred years.

Yes, despite all that, he wasn't going to say it.

_Shai… Kanji… Link… Shyra… someone?_

His mind slowed as well, his thoughts dimming as several memories filtered through his mind. Finding his boys, raising them, training them, meeting the skychild, his sweet blood in the Eldin dirt, running through the crazy catacombs of the mountains, forming a relationship with the boy… all wonderful memories.

There were some old ones, too. Of his younger days, of meeting Demise, of his school and his school friends, of his first kill, first hunt, first battle.

No, with all of these memories keeping him steady there was just no way he could say it.

He slumped against the wall, his body going limp as the blood reached his throat and crawled up to his chin.

_Link… help me. I'm… I'm…_

At least not out loud.

_I'm scared._

* * *

><p><strong>S<strong>hai stopped the whip mid-swing and glanced at Skyloft, where the demons were starting to lower themselves to the ground.

"Are you going to do what I've asked?" he snapped, approaching the cowering child with fire in his eyes.

"Y-yes, I promise just—st-stop hurting me, please!"

Shai's heart broke at the ragged sobs coming from the boy's throat, but what else could he do? An entire community was at stake! If one stubborn demon had to cry… well, he had to cry. It didn't help at all that part of him wanted to laugh, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his thoughts straight.

Shai took a hold of his lacerated arm, ignoring the cry of pain, and pulled him to his feet, shrinking the platform and breaking it in two, putting a dome over the one with the Krykin in it and stepping onto his own.

The small child closed his eyes and focused, his body glowing a soft blue color as he shifted and changed. Shai expanded the cage to fit his new size, and when the transformation was complete, he whistled loudly.

"Hey! Weren't you supposed to be watching her?"

A few Krykins turns and screamed in rage when they saw 'Zelda' standing there. More Krykins saw the first group, and then more, and more, and more as a domino effect took place, sending waves of chaos through the ranks.

A classic fault of Krykins: they are incredibly stupid.

Shai knew this, and he knew they would do anything to get their target back. He stood very still on his platform, readying a large sphere of magic in each hand as they barreled towards him, shrieking and crying and railing at him.

"Come and get it…" he growled.

The swarms did just that, and he sent his magic flying in every direction, cutting through their numbers like a hot knife through butter as the little creatures fell from the sky in droves. Shai gathered more magic and struck again, watching the hordes disappear beneath the clouds. The little demon inside the case started panicked, banging on the walls and trying to get out, yet remembering to keep himself in Zelda's form.

_Poor thing probably thinks I'm about to kill him, too. Oh, no, I'll make him suffer first._

Shai took a deep breath and gathered his magic. He had no time for his master's shenanigans. He had to focus.

_I think this is it. The final blow…_

Shai thrust his arms upward, and the wine-colored magic exploded, falling down over the stragglers and leftovers like acid rain, killing them all on contact as the last few screams rose from the mist.

Then silence.

Sweet, peaceful, still, silence.

Shai lowered his arms to his side and turned towards the young Krykin, a soft expression on his face. The depiction of Zelda slowly dissolved as Shai made his way over to the small child. He stepped through the wall of transparent spades and looked down at the sniveling, shaking little boy. He waited a while, listening to the creature's soft pleas and whimpers, his sadistic side slowly fading.

Shai knelt down, extending his hand to the boy and caressing his face gently. He felt a horrible twist in his gut at the petrified sob that came from the boy's mouth.

"What's your name?" he asked softly.

"E…Essein…"

"Essein? That's a wonderful name." Shai smiled, feeling the burn slowly dwindle in his eye and tattoo. "I'm very sorry I had to beat you, Essein, but you wouldn't cooperate. I couldn't let all those people be killed, could I?"

The child shook his head tearfully. "N-no…" he stammered.

"You come with me, now, and I'll clean your wounds and make you feel better. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Essein nodded, slowly stumbling to his feet. "Hold me?"

"I would love you hold you, Essein."

Shai looked ahead at Skyloft and frowned.

_Not only are they suspicious of me, but they don't need me at the moment._

His eyes wandered to the column of light behind them, his eyes flickering back towards Skyloft for a moment before locking onto the emerald glow.

"Say, Essein... have you ever been to a place called 'Faron'?"

* * *

><p><strong>T<strong>he fight had to be over soon. With how Demise looked and how Link _felt, _it just had to be.

"Master, there is a 98% chance one more magically charged blow will complete the refining of Ghirahim's blade. There is also a 98% chance Demise will become 45% more violent when he realizes he is about to lose."

Link nodded his head, glancing to his right and catching sight of Kanji, a large ball of magic in his hands. He grabbed a heart potion and quickly tipped it back, the majority of his larger injuries fading.

"This is it, Kanji! One more blast!"

Kanji looked half dead at this point, but he gathered his energy and ran towards Link, throwing his hands out and pouring all of his magic into Link's blade. Link jerked a little as the spells hit with unrestrained force, and he saw Kanji had collapsed in utter exhaustion after releasing the very last bit of magic he had in him.

"You did great, Kanji!" Link called, facing Demise and preparing for the onslaught. "Take a nap."

Garbled, incoherent words came from Kanji's mouth, but Link paid it no mind and instead focused on Demise. The demon was ragged, bloody, and winded, but he was not dead and he was not going to give up. Especially once Ghirahim was no longer his…

"Master, all indications show you should _do it now!"_

Link jumped, realizing how close Demise had gotten during his daydream, and he threw his sword forwards, striking the dark blade. Sparks flew from the collision, and a loud cracking sound rang out over the endless, solid lake. Several slabs of metal crumbled off the blade, and the red picture of the Triforce pulsed faster than ever. Demise growled at the weapon as the red spread throughout the rest of the blade. He threw it in the air, and a loud explosion rang out, an orange and yellow spirit flying upward into the sky.

"Ghirahim?!"

Demise didn't seem to care his beloved sword was gone, and he ran at Link with a new steel.

"Woah!" Link turned on his heel and ran a ways before whirling round and making contact.

_I didn't know he could do that!_

He threw the sword to the side and struck at Demise's throat and shoulder, whirling quickly to stop another blow by hitting the sword on its tip, sending it flying the other direction.

_Relax, Master, these will break extremely easily, and it will also aid in the drying up of his magic, thus leading to his defeat._

Demise brought it straight back, and Link ducked down under the arm, parrying around him and slicing up his backside.

"Score, Master Link!"

Link laughed ducking and rolling away from several more blows as he ran across the shifting floor, searching for Ghirahim or his blade.

"I like the new you, Fi."

"I do, too."

Link tripped as Demise blade drove into the ground directly behind him, the demon following shortly after and rocking the ground from the force of sheer weight. Gasping for air, he rolled out of the way of the next stab and scrambled to his feet, holding his blade up as Demise's came down on top of it. Grunting under the weight, he whipped his sword from underneath the dark sword and swung it around, slicing the weapon clean in half.

A blast of purple magic and another sword was flying towards his head. Link dropped down and rolled over backwards, slipping into a few backflips and somersaults until he was far enough away to stop and get a breather.

Demise launched into the air and Link took a deep breath, running forwards as fast as he could. The run slowly dissolved into flips as had happened just moments ago, and he made good progress across the water before he felt Demise hit the ground. Now there was a good fifty yards between them, and Kanji was also a safe distance away from the furious king.

Link took a deep breath, scanning the area for Ghirahim, but nothing caught his attention.

"Fi, since this is all technically water, is it possible that Ghirahim fell through? Because, you know, he's a sword?"

"It is possible master, but the probably of that rests firmly at .0001%. I wouldn't worry about it."  
>Link blew his bangs out of his eyes, downing a stamina and health potion as Demise ran at him. He looked down at himself, his energy returning to him almost instantly. He raised his head and saw Demise was getting closer, just ten yards away.<p>

_I am going to end this._

Link took his blade in both hands, drew in one, last, deep breath, and ran.

His feet pounded into the glass-like floor as sweat poured down his face, his heart pounding in his ears with every ounce of blood that coursed through his veins. His breathing remained steady, and every inhale was cooling, refreshing. His mind was completely clear, unlike the rest of the battle, and he was one hundred percent focused.

The two were now just a foot away from each other.

Link sent his blade up and split the one Demise had in half. The demon's magic spewed from his hand, another sword forming as Link jumped up and aimed the True Master's Sword, plunging it directly into his heart, blood coursing from the now gaping wound in his chest as he fell to the glass. The realm shook with the impact, a fountain of blood spurting from Demise's chest.

And then everything was still.

Very still.

The world they had been in faded away, and he was standing in the rain at the Sealed Grounds. Kanji lay next to him, panting heavily, but trying to hold onto consciousness. The darkness was swept into the pit and the seal was reformed.

"Master?" Kanji asked weakly, looking around.

"Gh…Ghirahim?" Link's eyes drooped, exhaustion taking over him.

"Master, I can sense him in the surrounding area. What you both need is a good, long rest. Should I go retrieve assistance from another source to allow you to sleep?"  
>Link shook his head. "No, I have to see Ghirahim. I have to know if it worked. Where—" He coughed into his hand, the adrenaline of battle slowly dying out and leaving him exhausted. "Where do you sense him?"<p>

A loud clap stopped them.

Followed by another.

And another.

Link whirled around, searching frantically for the source. His eyes locked onto a demon sitting on a high ledge, and he recognized it as the man who had captured Shai a few days before.

"What are _you _doing here?" he snapped, grabbing Kanji and holding him close.

The demon threw his head back and laughed, lying against the ledge and watching them curiously. "Relax, human, I don't go around playing with every boy I come across. Just so happened to be the little dishwasher's weakness. Kanji has low thresholds for pain so I would merely _maim _him to get answers." A shroud of black smoke enveloped him, and he appeared just a few feet away from Link, causing Kanji to cower behind Link, grasping his pant leg.

"I said relax. Honestly, if I were going to kill you here, you wouldn't currently be alive." He blew his fingernails, brushing them against his black cloak and staring into the distance.

"But you will eventually attempt to kill me?"

A low chuckle reverberated from his throat. "I do not attempt, human. I do."

"What's your name?" Link snapped, ignoring the last statement.

"Do you honestly need to know _now_?" The demon ran a hand through his long, caramel hair, letting out an exasperated sigh.

"Well—"

The demon extended a hand, pointing across the pit. "There's your demon."

Link whirled around. "Ghirahim?" But there was nothing there. He faced forward again, already knowing what he would find.

Kanji grabbed his arm. "He's gone."  
>Link smiled at him. "Don't worry, Kanji. I won't let him get you."<p>

"But where's Master?"

Link sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't… I don't know. I guess we're just going to have to look. Fi?"

Fi flipped out of the hilt. "Yes, Master Link?"

"Can you add him to the dowsing ability of the Master's Sword, or…?" Link let the question hang, watching her carefully calculate his request in her mind.

"I believe I can, but there is a 49% chance the same thing that happened in the labyrinth will happen while searching for Ghirahim."

Link sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "That's a chance we'll have to take."

"M…Master?"

Link glanced at Kanji, but Kanji shrugged. "Wasn't me."

They both turned to Fi, who shook her head.

"Ghirahim? Are you there?"

Silence.

"Ghirahim! Answer me!"

Link heard a soft sound that resembled a yelp, and he started walking towards it, worry creasing his brow.

_Ghirahim, you better be alright._

* * *

><p><strong>E<strong>ssein squirmed in Shai's grasp, but the young demon slave was determined to keep the little Krykin in his possession. With every kick and fidget, Shai could feel Ghirahim creeping further into his mind, and he shook him off more than once, trying to focus on the child.

"Now, you've been so good up until now. Please just behave for a few more moments."

Shai sighed as the little sprite jerked again, jumping away from the deku plants and bokoblins they passed. Restraining the boy tightly against himself, he sped up slightly, sensing his master somewhere in the surrounding area.

"You're gonna be okay, Essein, you just need to calm down and trust me."

Shai smacked his lips, happy to see some of his regular speech returning, and continued his speed walk, patting the child's back as a soft chuckle escaped him.

"Calm down, it's alright," he soothed, ducking through the trees and roots. "Once we retrieve my master, I will find you a home, and you'll be safe there."

"Hormen Shai kikino gatay mashi taganeno cai!"

Shai frowned. "I'm sorry, but I don't speak Krykish."

Essein said nothing, but the fear was obvious, and Shai tried his best to remain gentle with him as he rounded the corner and broke into a run, hearing Link's voice.

_What is Master going to say to this?_

He got to the clearing where his master lay just as Link, Fi, and Kanji arrived. The area was strewn with blood, and Shai rushed over, kneeling down. Essein grappled his cape, still trying to escape.

"Essein, calm down. It's okay."

Kanji knelt down next to Shai and looked over their master with worry in his eyes. Link knelt on the other side as Fi floated above and analyzed him.

"I don't suppose that thing has healing powers," Link said, finding only one heart potion left in his bag.

"No, he doesn't," said Shai softly, his fingertips turning reddish purple as he lowered them onto Ghirahim's diamond.

"Scared! Scared!"

Shai chuckled softly. "Shh, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Kanji tilted his head, looking up at Shai. "You have two red eyes."

Shai nodded slightly, not sure how to respond to that.

"So… Master's energy is in you right now?"

Shai shrugged his shoulders. "Something like that. I mean, we always knew Ghirahim got his excessive sadism from Demise, but I don't think he realized it builds up as you go."

Kanji's eyes widened.

"So," Fi cut in, thoroughly intrigued. "You have sadism from both Demise and Ghirahim currently in you?"

Shai gave a quick jerk of his head.

"And still you are able to control it. That's phenomenal."

Shai blushed slightly, dipping his hand deeper into the diamond. "Thanks."

Ghirahim squirmed slightly as the fingers further invaded the pulsating gem, and Link shook his head.

"What are you doing?"

"It's a type of healing spell. It's very weak because I've drained almost all of my magic and I'm not a healer, but I hope it will do something, or at least aid the potion."

Link twisted off the cap. "Now?"

Shai nodded, his lips a tight, thin line. Everyone got quiet as Shai and Link worked to revive the either unconscious, comatose or… dead… demon on the ground before them. Even Essein got quiet.

_Master, you better be okay…_

* * *

><p><strong>R<strong>ain.

It was raining.

His face was wet, and his clothing was soaked and stuck to his body. His joints ached from the cold, and his body felt sore and tired all over. Someone was toying with his diamond, and red liquid was splashing down his throat while he involuntarily swallowed.

_What's going on? Where… where am I? …Master?_

"I think… I think he's waking up!" The voice was that of a young male's and it was filled with excitement and relief.

"Yay!" This voice was of a mere child, and little hands clapped to accent the statement.

"Ghirahim? Ghirahim, are you really awake? If you are, do something!" That was a young man's voice.

"Do something?" a female voice questioned cynically.

"Well, I don't know what he can do so…"

All of these tones sounded familiar, but he had yet to hear the one he truly longed for.

"Master," the soft tone spoke, filled with love and adoration. "It's time for you to wake up now." Soft, silky fingers trailed over his face, and his eyes fluttered, landing on dual rubies.

"Shai…" He let a smile grace his lips, shifting his eyes so he could see the others. "Link, Kanji, Fi… when did you get here?"

Link smiled at him, obviously relieved, and Kanji grinned wildly. Fi showed relief in her own way, lowering herself to the ground and watching him carefully.

"Master, are you okay?" Kanji asked rapidly, and Shai smiled down at him, already knowing the answer.

"I'm going to be." Ghirahim slowly sat up, and Link offered him the rest of the potion, which he readily took. "Shai, where did you learn healing magic?"

"When you started beating the others and going crazy loco, I started to read up on a few tactics. I never felt the desperate urge to use them until now."

Ghirahim grinned. "I suppose once again I have to thank you for looking out for me."

"You're not out of the woods yet," Shai said, getting to his feet offering his hand to Ghirahim.

"W-wait!" Ghirahim shook his head. "I'm still so confused!"

Link frowned. "About what?"

Ghirahim pointed hesitantly at him, despising the weakness he felt. "Y-you were breaking me, Master. Why…?"

"I wasn't trying to hurt you, Ghirahim, but I had to break the hold Demise had on you. It was required, if you wanted freedom." Link smiled at him warmly, and Ghirahim nodded slowly, growing to like those eyes.

Ghirahim shook his head, a flood of questions overtaking his mind. "But what about—Shai, why are your eyes red? And whatever happened to the twins? And the Loftwings? Where's Shyra? And was it just me or was the freak from the mountains here, too? And—"

He was cut off by their laughter, and Link and Shai both helped him to his feet.

"Oh, Master," Shai shook his head, giving him a smirk. "We have a lot to talk about."

"But first," Fi said, removing her shoes to walk more comfortably. "We all need rest."

"Amen!"

"Can't wait."  
>"I'm sleeping forever."<p>

"Will you make tea? I can't sleep without tea."

"Nooo! I don't wanna nap!"

"Oh my goodness, there's a child! Where did he come from?"

"He's been here the whole time, Master."

"Shai, is there something you need to tell me?"

"He's not mine _biologically_, Master!"

"Ghirahim!"

"I was just asking him, skychild! You don't mind if I call you skychild, right?"

"I prefer it, actually."

"What kind of tea do you want?"  
>"Delayed."<p>

"Be quiet."

"I can't believe I used to not like you guys."

"I can't either."

"I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

"I calculate a 100% chance this is awesome!"

"Carry me, skychild?"

"Not on your life."

* * *

><p><strong>A\N: So, the problem with this ending is that it's humorous and leaves you with a happy feeling, but that's what the epilogue was gonna do. So now... the epilogue may be a little more dramatic...I'm not sure. At first this was totally dark, and then casual and somehow I just tried to slur it all together... the first time Shai wasn't even there WHAT WAS I THINKING? *sighs* I don't think Essein will become a character we'll see a lot of. Ghirahim might not even take him in unless there is demand for him.<br>**

**Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed! I'll have the epilogue up soon! :) Hope I didn't totally disappoint with the ending...**


	16. Looking To The Future

**A\N: I hope you enjoy this quick little snipit from after the battle, and it should give you a little bit of an idea of where Giggles is going. Also, I believe when I first wrote this, I had gone with the idea that Shai didn't lose his virginity, but I decided to keep it vague and not make a decision on that yet. We'll find out the truth in Giggles, and depending on what is more convenient, that's what I'll go with.  
><strong>

**Wow... Shai's virginity... he keeps it or loses it for convenience's sake... I am evil. **

****Anyways, please read and review!  
><strong>**

* * *

><p>It was dark. Silent. Pain throbbed through his chest, and vague colors blurred through his vision. A voice murmured in the distance, and he felt inclined to listen, tilting his head into the hand that caressed his face.<p>

"Mmm…"

"Ghirahim, are you in there?" The fingers tapped the side of his head.

"Mm-hmm…"

Ghirahim flinched as a hand came in contact with his chest, gentle fingers brushing against the outline of the diamond there. He gasped as the digits danced over the center of the jewel, fingering it tenderly.

"M-Master… that feels wonderful…"

Link chuckled softly. "Good, 'cause I owe you one." He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and continuing to toy with the gem. "I'm really sorry. You know, for accusing you and putting you through all that… craziness."

Ghirahim smiled as his vision cleared, and he took in the boy's apologetic expression. "We've both been through a lot these past two weeks, and it was mutual effort."

"I never thought…" Link rubbed the back of his neck, looking away for a moment before returning his gaze to Ghirahim. "I never thought you could turn out to be a good guy."

A sarcastic response briefly flitted through Ghirahim's mind, but he shook it off and responded sincerely. "I am not a good person, Link, I just do good things on occasion."

Link took that in for a moment, his hands returning to the ruby once again. "Yeah, well… I'm sorry. And thanks for helping me."

"It's was nothing, skychild, I quite…" Ghirahim cleared his throat, glancing away. "I quite enjoyed our partnership. I would like to do it again sometime."

Link was silent for a little while longer, and then he spoke. "I know you have to go back to Axialis, but do you think… do you think we could keep in touch?"

Ghirahim raised his eyebrows, the idea having never occurred to him. Certainly, he expected to be called on by his new master when he was he was needed for battle or missions of sorts, but Link spoke of it as something deeper.

"You mean… like friends?"

Link nodded quietly, watching him with soft, sapphire eyes. "Yeah."

Ghirahim's eyes widened, and he leaned back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling. "I… I think I would like that. I'm not entirely sure, as I've never had friends before, but I… I do believe I can manage." He gave Link a small smile, and the hero smiled back.

"Cool."

Ghirahim frowned suddenly as he caught a glimpse of a small scar on the hero's upper lip. "Link, I'm terribly sorry for what happened in Eldin. I can't apologize for chasing the girl or for trying to get information, but I took things too far, and I'm sorry."

Link smiled, and the next thing Ghirahim knew, he was being crushed against the hero's chest, two arms wrapped around his body. Smiling slightly to himself, he slid his arms around the young man's waist, and hugged him back.

After a few moments, Link pulled away, having said no 'I forgive you' and not needing to. He clapped the demon on the shoulder and sighed.

"What next?"

Ghirahim shifted, rubbing his eyes. "Well, my slaves and I need to return to the Surface. The twins need to brought up to date, country lines need to be monitored closely for a while, loyalists to Demise need to be watched and possible taken care of, there's everyone's physical recovery, Essein's destination—"

"His destination?" Link cut him off, his brow creased with worry.

Ghirahim scowled. "Well, I would love to take him in, but I already have four boys, and I simply don't know. He may end up returning to his people."

Link looked at his feet. "Oh… Okay."

"After that, I have border presses in the south and there's the issue of pulling my demons and hordes out of the rest of the Surface and returning them to where they belong…" He let his voice trail. "There's quite a bit."

Link nodded solemnly. "I have to establish the Surface and do something about the Loftwings, not to mention Zelda and I are… exploring things." He blushed at this, and Ghirahim laughed.

"I see, I see. I'll be honest with you, I don't like her very much, but I see."

"Her reaction was pretty wild wasn't it?"

Ghirahim mimicked her voice, wagging his finger in Link's face. "Link, if you ever pull a stunt like this again, you'll be seeing more than the goddess' wrath! And what are you doing with that _thing _and his little harem! You need to be staying away from bad influences, you're the hero now and yada yada yada!"

Link threw his head back and laughed, wiping a tear from his eye. "She just worries, you know?"

Ghirahim rolled his eyes. "Yeah. _Worry_."

The two remained silent for quite some time, and then Ghirahim looked up at him. "I suppose it'll be a while until we see each other."

"Yeah, I think so…" Link sighed, running his hands through his wild, dirty blonde hair. "But when we do, it'll be—"

"Fabulous!" Ghirahim cut him off. "It's _my _word, you naughty little skychild!"

Link laughed, shaking his head. "Whatever you say, Ghirahim." He stood up, walking towards the door. "You rest up now."

Ghirahim nodded, slipping back under the covers and smiling to himself.

_I truly can't complain. I'm rather enjoying this peace and happiness, but I can only imagine what's coming next._

Images of the demon that had tormented Shai flashed through his mind, and he grit his teeth, anger boiling in his veins. He glared at the bed sheets for several moments, and then he stopped. A smile tugged at his lips. He giggled softly.

_Whatever it is, I know I'll be ready for it. With my boys, and with Link… with this newfound freedom… there is nothing that can stop us. Bring it on. Why the heck not?_

And he laughed again.

_Fabulous!_


	17. Final Author's Note

**A\N: The End! I hope you enjoyed it, and thank you all for your reviews!**

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><strong>

**Just take out the spaces! :)  
><strong>

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><strong>

**If you liked this fic, please go check out my other ones, and keep an eye out for more! Love you ALL! *throws even more cookies*  
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**EDIT: Something I forgot to mention! In case you didn't notice, go back to the final chapter (not the epilogue, the CHAPTER) and look at the bold letters. See it?  
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